Our Time to Fly
by Shokinaw
Summary: Years have passed for Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and Spike. Stuck in a rut, the trio look to the Fledgling Flier Competition as the key to their future. There's only one minor issue with that, neither Spike or Scootaloo have learned how to fly! Life and flight lessons mix as the new flight team and their friends reach for their dreams in this sports drama where Teamwork is Magic!
1. Chapter 1: Over the Edge

Chapter 1

Over the Edge

It was a dreary rainy day in Ponyville. It was a scheduled storm and completely expected as always but remained nevertheless dreary. Rather it was all the more boring because of the constant organization of it all. A free and wild rain would at least be somewhat interesting to deal with. The pegasus ponies continued to watch from above, keeping their work in check. Everything planned and perfected for the good of all ponies, especially over the Sweet Apple Acres farmland.

Rainbow Dash took up the team captain position as usual. She had this certain charm about her that left you listening when she gave an order. You never could put your hoof on just what it was that encouraged other ponies to step in line at her command. It might have been her constant push towards teamwork, or her steadfast pursuit of her goals. It could also be her headstrong and unshakable confidence that success was possible against all odds, and there was nothing out of reach. It could even just be her natural talents and honed skills that left her one of the fastest stunt ponies in all Equestria and left you following in her wake with respect and admiration.

While her team worked away all through the morning, trotting amidst the gathered storm clouds beneath their hooves, they hadn't really notice the lack of enthusiasm in their lead pegasus. Likely only her closest friends would know what to look for. Normally Rainbow Dash wore her heart on her flank but that was just her natural demeanor. She could hide her intentions as well as any pony, and today her heart just wasn't in her work. It took a lot of drive to force herself awake that morning, far more than usual. It was only when she went to check on Tank that she managed a smile.

Just under her home that hovered about 40 feet off the ground, built of the fluffy white clouds that held the mainstay of her work, was a small pool where her pet tortoise took up residence. Tank couldn't join her in her home, as walking on clouds tends to be a 'pegasus only' kind of deal, but he always had a smile for her, even when she couldn't manage to find one herself. When she felt down, the tortoise seemed to notice, and worked all that much harder to change her mood. His antics would soon have her wearing a begrudging grin. Not that he did anything particularly creative in his attempts, but Rainbow Dash was a pony that admired the effort you put into a task over the end result. Tank always put his all into everything for her. It was seeing all that heart that left that a smile planted on her muzzle, and helped her face the rest of what she knew would be the start of a long day.

Normally she relished any chance at leadership, but rainy days took all the challenge out of it. It was too mundane and commonplace. The team pretty much did everything on their own. She may have been giving the orders, but it was just part of the background noise for these well practiced ponies. It was more or less just going through the motions for everypony involved. She decided to escape the banal activity under the guise of her role. 'Supervising from above' she called it. Go so high up, plant yourself on a cloud, and keep the big picture of the storm in view. It wasn't a bad idea really, she used it often when she was just starting out, so it wasn't at all out of place. Now there was no point in it though, she had become so well seasoned, she could tell right away even from the lowest point and slightest glance if something was going wrong.

Even so it was there now she sat, on a fluffy dark cloud far above it all, staring out into that great wide, blue expanse. She could hear the sky calling her. She closed her eyes, and felt the heavens all around her. The cold wind, tangling her many coloured mane and tail that held her namesake, naturally shaded to mimic the most vibrant colours of a rainbow. She felt the cold rush ruffling through her cyan fur, sending a chill to each and every inch of her body. The flavour of fresh, rain-scented air flooded her lungs, with the taste of mist invading her mouth and dancing across her tongue. All at once she got that hopeless longing to be out there, the wind flowing past her wings, soaring in that great blue yonder, deep into the horizon, all the way back to Cloudsdale.

"Cloudsdale..."

Her eyes snapped open, surprising herself with the sound of her own voice. The pegasus shook herself from the dampness that had been pervading her fur, as if it would also shake loose that hint of something missing that had sunk her spirit.

"Come on Dash, this isn't like you! No way a Wonderbolt would let this get to them!" The pegasus looked down at her team with renewed vigor, noticing for the first time that morning, that they too were stuck in the melancholy of their workplace. It wasn't an adventurous job, or even a job that could get her mind off stupid details of old choices, but it was still a job. The pegasi down there were still her team. A well practiced, finely tuned team whose captain was down in the dumps. Close friends or not, a good team could subconsciously feel when their teammates didn't have high spirits, and that kind of thing can spread like a plague. She decided if that attitude didn't suit Rainbow Dash it didn't suit her team either. She glared at the dark rain clouds beneath, as if they suddenly turned into an opposing force.

"Lets kick this storm up a notch!"

The sudden shout from above was followed by a rainbow coloured streak and a thunderous roar from the storm cloud it slammed into. As the resulting dark mist floated away from the center of impact, it left the silhouette of the coolest pony in town with a glorious grin on her face.

"Come on team! They gave us permission to make a storm, so lets make it storm!" She let loose with a double hind hoof kick to another nearby cloud for emphasis, sending a crack of lightning to the horizon below. "Lets give these clouds some soul!"

Most of the other pegasi looked from one to another still caught in silent shock and confused at the sudden outburst.

"YeeaaaAAAGGGHHH!"

It was a bellowed response from the most enormous, muscle bound, and ugly pegasus that ever lived. His cheer caught on, and soon the clouds rang with thunder and lightning, as a herd of ponies stampeded through them.

"I love that guy." Rainbow Dash laughed to herself while grinning at grinning at the result.

* * *

Somewhere beneath the rolling thunder a pale yellow pegasus cowered under the pillows and blankets of her bed, while a tiny bird of flame flew circles just above her with a very irate dragon glaring at her impatiently. Five years ago Fluttershy probably would have gone into horrified fits at the idea of being present in this nightmarish situation. Currently, however, the only thing that frightened her was the thunder and lightning outside her window. She let out squeal of terror as another wave of the crashing discharge was unleashed over her house, shaking the walls, leaving her dishes and pictures rattling in their own semblance of fear. She pulled her heavy blanket down over her eyes, which just comically left her rump bare and in the air as she hid, a trio of butterflies adorned the shy pegasus' flank, and her usually neat, pink, long-flowing mane and tail were splayed out around her bundle of blankets and pillows. She managed to hide in the bed with all the prowess of an ostrich with its head in the dirt.

"Come on Fluttershy..." It was a strange childish whine that seemed out of place for the fairly lengthy, fire breathing, winged creature before her, "You promised!"

"I know but..." The frightened pegasus pony choked out quietly, "I couldn't possibly today...I'm so sorry Spike, I had no idea the storm would be this bad!"

"Fine..." The dragon replied with a dejected tone and waving his clawed hand, dismissing the subject. He realized he was getting nowhere with this. "Come on Pee Wee, let's head home."

The young fire bird flew past the dragon, only to pop up unexpectedly on the shoulder Spike was least suspecting he'd use as his perch. With a slight chirp the phoenix signalled it was ready to go, causing him to chuckle a bit at the bird's antics. Spike made his way towards the door, when with a sudden flash of lightning exploded from the sky! The shy pony that had wrapped herself in covers to hide from the storm was now somehow in front of him blocking the door, with a horrified, wide eyed expression.

"No!"

It was probably the loudest he'd ever heard the quiet pony get, but she quickly lowered her voice to her normal standards, which barely rose above a regular pony's whisper.

"I-I'm sorry Spike, but you can't take a phoenix that young out in a downpour this bad... its flame is simply not hot enough to protect it yet."

"So let me get this straight, I have to stay here and _not_ train with Pee Wee?" His shoulders slumped at the thought. Spike, uncertain whether it was by nature or upbringing, was an active dragon and almost always on the move whenever not completely overcome with exhaustion from the day's activities. If there was one thing in life he despised, it was boredom, and it was that very problem which was looming over him now. The whole point of coming to Fluttershy's house on the outskirts of town was because of her knack with animals. She was the foremost expert with all animals small or large in all of Ponyville, and likely for much further away than that. Pee Wee was four years old now and finally ready for pet training. At least that's what Fluttershy had advised him last time she was visiting the library.

Now that the firebird was older, it had taken on a much sleeker look, and was half the height of its father that Spike had angered the day he adopted the young chick. There was no small amount of playful intelligence in its sparkling eyes and it always had time for a joke to play. It was these constant jokes that were driving his big sister to her wits end back home, and the moment Fluttershy mentioned the idea of 'training', dragon and bird were thrown out the door behind the shy pegasus as she was parting.

Fluttershy was happy to help teach him what she knew of the mythical creature, and was very excited to be able to learn more about it herself. Especially after her complications taking care of Princess Celestia's pet of the same species.

Spike himself had grown much like his pet. Longer, sleeker, he no longer held the chubby waddle of his youth. His tail and torso had lengthened out considerably, and now this bipedal form of his had reached a more comparable in size to the teenage dragons he'd met on the migration. Even so, he was still small for one of them. This didn't bother him so much, as he was plenty big as far as ponies were concerned.

He owed his growth to Twilight's crazy math skills. She managed to come up with some mumbo jumbo equation that let her know how big he would get according to how much he hoarded, and then for his birthdays began making sure he'd received an exact quota of gifts that would allow him a new size. He'd spend the year getting used to the new height, size, and abilities while they both would study the new instincts that came with it. Twilight was hoping this would help curb the uncontrollable instincts that took him last time when he grew up all at once. However when he woke up after the night from his latest birthday a few months ago there had been a very new and exciting change!

Wings!

Not that he knew anything about how to use them yet. Spike, being the only dragon anypony had ever had any regular dealings with, had the disadvantage of simply not knowing what he was in for on his way to adulthood. Puberty was an utter mystery and had kept both him and Twilight Sparkle on edge, waiting for any possible changes that could lead to another rampage through their small town. This meant no pony had any idea of which abilities needed to be taught and which were natural to him. Flight included. He looked at Pee Wee with a bit of envy. Knowing when the bird could be trained, what it should learn, different techniques and abilities it could learn, all things he had cripplingly little knowledge about himself.

Right up to a few minutes ago Fluttershy and Spike had been training Pee Wee to respond to several of Spike's commands, and Spike was learning how to respond to Pee Wee's gestures. They were all making a lot of progress until the rain outside suddenly picked up, and the thunder sent the surprised pegasus fleeing for her bed. Spike was fairly laid back as far as anypony goes, but being stuck inside a house far from anything close to entertainment in Ponyville, with a cowering Fluttershy, and not even a chore to occupy his time was pushing his patience.

"I'm sorry Spike. I won't be able to concentrate on you and Pee Wee in all this." Fluttershy nudged him back the way he came towards the bed. She took this chance to shut the curtains, hoping to block out the storm visibly, if not audibly, before curling back up in her bed covers once more.

"Aww, its not your fault Fluttershy." Spike scratched his neck sheepishly, feeling a little guilty now. He knew she was giving it her best, and this was all out of her control. He was just getting antsy about the whole situation. The storm was pretty violent, and though he hated to admit it, he'd probably be getting startled by it too if he started sitting around doing nothing. This resulted in him beginning to pace back and forth, as Pee Wee opted to choose a perch on Fluttershy's bedpost. "I just can't stand sitting around doing nothing."

Fluttershy nodded in understanding, watching him begin to trace a path in her floor. Her fault or not, Spike was still feeling trapped, and she didn't want to see him like that at all.

"How about..." She began looking around in hope of coming up with some ideas to occupy him, but there was little around the house that he could help with. He was very good at keeping things neat and tidy she knew, but she always kept her place very clean already. She also knew he wasn't all that great with animals from the last time he tried to look after them for her, and the many small animals she kept around the house were probably already spooked with the storm. She didn't even see her loyal rabbit around.

"...we talk?" She finished lamely.

"Talk? Talk about what?" He did stop his pacing, but it was only to give her a funny look.

"Why don't we talk about you Spike?"

"Me? What's there to talk about when it comes to me? Everypony already knows everything about me. Especially you, I mean, I told you my WHOLE life story on the first day we met."

"Umm... well... yes, I mean I don't know. Its been a long time since that day. Could you tell maybe tell me some of it again? Like when you and Twilight lived in Canterlot? " She tried a little hopefully. "Twilight told us a bit when she hatched you, but It must have been strange to be raised by a young filly."

"What? Twilight didn't raise me."

"She didn't?" Fluttershy was honestly curious now.

"No no no, of course not. I could have sworn I told you, she was barely old enough to get her cutie mark when I got hatched." The purple dragon took a seat on the floor, leaning back on one arm as he explained. "Twilight can barely take care of herself now let alone back then. You've seen the panic attacks she gets when things aren't laid out for her, right? Or if she's the tiniest bit past a deadline? Well, she was ten times worse back then without a number one assistant to help out. Now imagine that combined with trying to raise any kid, let alone one that belches uncontrolled flames."

"Oh. Then I suppose she really couldn't take care of you... so who did?"

"The Princess. Are you sure I never mentioned anything about this?" He asked suspiciously, "This is a pretty big chunk of my life here."

"Yes... but ummm.. you were so young, and Twilight was being so quiet , and.. well I thought you were maybe, just a tinsy bit... exaggerating?"

"Well Twilight was pretty out of it and all. She had a book on her brain the whole day, you know how she gets when she's like that. But I'm still surprised you thought I was fibbing. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I just liked hearing you talk." The quiet pegasus smiled in recollection of the day. Spike was obviously enjoying the attention at the time, and she was still getting over the idea that dragons actually could talk! Normally she was the only pony around that had any understanding of magical creatures, but then suddenly out of nowhere a unicorn with a cute, lovable baby dragon riding on her back showed up.

"Alright, well it was ALL true! Its pretty obvious if you think about it. Even now hardly anypony knows anything about dragons, right? We're a rare sight, a flying mystery, a mythic beast, a fire-breathing powerhouse, an impressive display of-"

Fluttershy interrupted his little reverie of his species with a polite cough.

"Wha-? Oh, heh, right." Spike blushed a little scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed smile, "Well, only Princess Celestia has been around long enough to learn anything about us, and right after I was hatched she opted to be Twilight's personal tutor. As she taught Twilight, she raised me, when she wasn't busy with royal duties. When she was, I was taken care of by Princess Cadence. That isn't to say Twilight and I weren't close when she was a filly though. Princess Celestia was always taking care of me while tutoring her as we got older. And Cadence would foal sit for both of us. We were even taught together in the same classroom, although we didn't have the same studies. Actually the Princess had Twilight's first written projects about documenting me as I grew up."

"Oh I see. So you grew up together. I guess that makes you more like childhood friends?"

"I guess so." Spike agreed with a nod, "We were as close as you could be to Twilight Sparkle when she was a filly. We became closer after her brother joined the guards and couldn't be around as much anymore. When Princess Celestia assigned me as her assistant and sent us to Ponyville to learn about life outside of Canterlot, that kind of changed. There's a mutual respect there, even if it is kinda offset by her authority. She's my boss after all and I'm her number one assistant, and believe me that isn't easy." The pride of his work shone through his features, a little puff of smoke escaped his nose as he held his chin up.

"After that whole fiasco with the dragon migration though, things are a lot more clear." Spike continued. "We're family as far as I'm concerned. We all are, right Pee Wee?"

The phoenix looked up from preening itself, before chirping a reply that could very well have been an affirmative. Fluttershy felt her eyes starting to water, closing them with an almost inaudible happy squeal of her own at the thought. She of course heard of Spike's big adventure following the dragons, and she fully appreciated the touching conclusion it had come to, even if she wasn't there for it.

"That's very sweet of you Spike, and thank you for sharing. I had no idea that's how Canterlot was for you and Twilight."

"I just assumed it was obvious. It never really occurred to me that all that mothering she does, actually made it look like she was mine. If you knew her as long as I have, you'd know she pretty much acts that way with everypony and everything. I don't even think about it anymore."

"She does try to take care of all her friends problems." Fluttershy nodded quietly, thinking about all the times Twilight Sparkle came to their rescue, or went around solving Ponyville's difficulties. "She really is a very caring pony."

"So what about you Fluttershy?" Spike pulled a wide brimmed hat out of nowhere, followed by a notepad and a quill, and in his best impression of a newspaper reporter, continued his question, "Life before Ponyville! What was it like? The readers wanna know!"

"Oh... umm... it... it wasn't anything special." The pegasus answered shyly, hiding her face beneath her blankets a bit once more, reminded too much of her time in the spotlight, an experience she sorely never wished to repeat.

"Aww, Come on lady, give me something, will ya?!" Spike pestered, tapping the empty notepad with the quill, "I got foals ta fe- Hey!"

Spike was interrupted as Fluttershy reached over and pulled him by the spines of his neck until he lay against her side. The hat, quill, and notepad were left bouncing on the floor behind him.

"That's better." Fluttershy smiled. Spike didn't know how real to life he'd sounded, and she'd gotten uncomfortable with it quickly.

"You've never been to Cloudsdale, have you? Its a city in the clouds, races are held almost every day of the week. The cloud making factory is constantly flowing, expanding the city further and further. The weather ponies buzz around it like little worker bees, making rainbows, rain clouds, and wind storms. There's never a rainy day in Cloudsdale, and pegasi fly together everywhere you look, with no earth or unicorn ponies anywhere to be seen. There's no fuzzy friends, or birds, or any of the cute animals that run throughout our landscape up there. Many of the pegasi don't even understand the concept of 'pets' like Pee Wee. Like Rainbow Dash, they could never picture themselves paying any attention to a something like a cute little tortoise. Its a very different place from Ponyville, or even Canterlot."

"Huh. That makes sense, but I can't even picture you without animals on all sides." Spike looked down and scratched his chin thinking about it, trying to visualize the place in his mind. As if to push the point, by the time he looked back up a few birds had gathered behind Fluttershy, perching with Pee Wee on her bed frame, while some squirrels, a couple mice, a porcupine, and a lizard decided to adorn her mane and head. Spike laughed, while Fluttershy gave one of her rare wide smiles.

"How did you manage? I mean it sounds like the whole place was focused on nothing but flying fast and weather making."

"Oh, it was horrible. I was very shy back then, nothing like now. Plus I was a weak flier, I couldn't even fly back by myself if I fell. I had such a hard time making friends, that the only time anyone would notice me was when I would fall down, or crash. They even called me Klutzershy!"

Spike was holding his hands over his mouth trying to hold in his giggling and avoid the glare that sullied his friend's expression. Spike couldn't figure out which part was the more comical, 'Klutzershy' (he was always a sucker for puns) or trying to picture the pegasus more shy than she was now. Somehow he managed to swallow it all back down. After confirming he had managed control his fit of giggles her features softened and Fluttershy continued.

"I was so bad at flight camp, they were on the verge of failing me permanently. I really couldn't find anywhere that I could fit in or belong. It was all very humiliating, then out of nowhere-"

"Rainbow Dash!" Spike interrupted, knowing what was coming and well aware of how they got their cutie marks. "Is that when you two first met?"

"Mm Hmm!" Fluttershy nodded, smiling a bit at the mention of her stalwart defender with such excitement. "Rainbow Dash, the flying prodigy of Cloudsdale, was standing between me and my classmates at flight camp. I never met her before, but she landed with a flourish and told those foals off so fiercely! I never had anyone stick up for me like that before. You already know the story about the race, and how it went, but Cloudsdale wasn't finished with me. Even if I wanted to be finished with it. I knew where I wanted to be after that, where I belonged. It was down here on the ground, with all these adorable creatures, but getting down here, and staying down here wasn't easy. Its a long way to Cloudsdale from the ground, an hour's flight for most ponies."

"An hour? But you said it only took a few minutes to fall to the ground when you got your cutie mark!"

"Falling and flying are two very different things Spike. Rainbow Dash makes it look easy, but most pegasi would have nightmares of ever entering free fall from the sky to the ground. I know I have. " She frowned, trying not to recall those particular dreams of her youth. "Freefall is almost eight times faster than a pegasus flying all out. Pulling out of straight downward dives is something only stunt ponies normally do. A pegasus that can fly faster than they can fall is very rare, and it is very dangerous even for them."

"Wow... I'll never watch her stunt fly the same way again."

"Flying and landing safely takes much longer, and it is a very long way to go for as weak a flier as I was, and even harder to get back home." Fluttershy continued, "My parents loved Cloudsdale, and wouldn't dream of moving to ground level, so we were all in a quandary of just what to do. I couldn't ask them to move from their home for me, and they couldn't ignore my special talent, now that we all knew where I belonged. They would make special trips just for me on weekends and holidays to zoos and nature trails, but that still left me being hopelessly teased by the other foals."

"It was only Rainbow Dash that made school life bearable at all! She would stick up for all the kids that were being bullied though, not just me. She ended up being outcast by the more snooty ponies, but never seemed to mind. She would laugh and say it made her a rebel. Surprisingly though, the teachers didn't like her no matter how often she stopped the bullying. Loud, brash, distracting, she heard it all from one to the other, and from the coach especially. "

"What?! You'd think that would be the one teacher that would love her!"

"He probably would have except on a few occasions she publicly called him out for being mean to the less talented students. Eventually it got so bad she even dropped out of flight school. She was breaking all the records, but she was doing it without much in the way of teaching. You know how competitive she can get? Well, once she even challenged the coach to do better than her at teaching the other students how to fly. She even rallied most of the students to follow her lead!"

"Let me guess, she flew them all into loads of trouble?"

"Oh no, not at all! If anything she won that contest hoofs down. The students under her guidance were doing very well, even the less talented ones like me. She had been sneaking me down to the ground during the weekdays to play with the woodland creatures, and noticed how the trips had been helping me alot with practicing. She began inviting other students down with us. It wasn't long before she was holding her own classes just above the treetops for a lot of the fillies and colts while I spent time with my furry friends. She was so successful with us that many of the students that were already doing well began out performing the ones that took extra time with the coach. That was way worse than failing, because then the coach was humiliated when the parents found out. She dropped out willingly to save what was left of their reputation, and it was a pretty prestigious flight school at the time."

"Cloudsdale doesn't sound like that great of a place."

"Well it wasn't that great for me, but I may have seen a different side of it than most fillies. You should have Rainbow Dash tell you about it, she loved it there."

"Even after flight school?" Spike began absently petting the squirrel that decided to curl up on his lap.

"That's just one school in a large city Spike. Remember among most of the students, Rainbow Dash was a defender of the downtrodden, an inspirational leader, and a fantastic flier like few Equestria has ever seen."

"Wow, when you put it like that, I wonder why she ever left!"

"I'm sorry, I really don't know. I moved to Ponyville with some distant relatives I had in the area when I was still a teenager. Rainbow Dash showed up a few months later with nothing more than a duffle bag, saying she came down to check on me and she never left."

"So just two teens with barely a bit between you, in a town full of ponies you didn't know? Heh, sounds vaguely familiar, but at least Twilight and I had jobs waiting for us at the library."

"We had to stay together here for awhile, before we could move out on our own." Fluttershy confirmed. "Bits weren't as difficult to come by as I thought they would be though, all because of Pinkie Pie."

"Pinkie Pie? How did Pinkie of all ponies get you a steady supply of bits?"

"Pinkie Pie welcomed us both with separate parties. Rainbow Dash had a lot of fun, and almost instantly got in friendly contests with the other pegasi Pinkie Pie gathered. She orchestrated races, and obstacle courses, and all sorts of competitions. That's how Rainbow Dash and Applejack met. They won everything between each other. Rivals instantly and friends even faster. It didn't take much convincing for Rainbow Dash to take on a job as a weather pony."

"I take it you didn't participate much?"

"Well... I cheered from the sidelines." Fluttershy smiled remembering how fierce the two ponies took to every competition Pinkie put in front of them. She had no desire to get in the way of that rivalry.

"Well that's what Pinke did for Rainbow Dash's party, but yours couldn't have been anything like that."

"Not at all. I was really nervous about it, but Pinkie Pie wouldn't take no for an answer. I'm so glad she didn't. I normally feel awkward in social gatherings, but after only about five minutes of talking with her on the street, Pinkie Pie already had a pretty good understanding of my personality. She only gathered the more subdued ponies around Ponyville to throw it with. It was really just talking with some quiet music in the background, with the instructions that all comers would have to bring their pets."

"A pet party?"

"Yes!" Fluttershy squealed, "I couldn't believe it! I was able to meet oh so many loving pets! For the first time at a party, I had something to talk about with everypony there! That really helped take away any anxieties I normally had when talking to others. I couldn't help but get excited! One of those pets weren't behaving so loving though. A pretty white cat who had her fur tied up in a bow, was spooked by one of the dogs."

"Opalescence can be temperamental in the best of times let alone with dogs barking at her." Spike smiled, recognizing the description of the cat immediately.

"Its true. Opalescence was not used to being around so many other animals, but there really is no excuse for bad manners. It was such a nice idea for a party, and I didn't want to see it ruined because of such a small thing."

"You used the stare!" Spike's eyes went wide.

"Umm... well... yes, I did." Fluttershy blushed a little as she continued, "I told both her and the dog that they were misbehaving and it was rude to everyone else at the party. They apologized and got along well for the rest of the night. That's when she walked over to collect her cat, and apologize for the disturbance. Rarity was so beautiful, and brimming with confidence and class."

"Yeah..." Spike agreed with a dreamy note to his voice, picturing the scene. He knew they had arrived at what would be his favourite part of the story.

"I knew at once she was everything I once wanted to be. She wasn't strong, but she spoke and held herself as if she was. Somehow knowing that there wasn't a thing the world could throw at her that could keep her from her goals. The only pony I ever met like that was Rainbow Dash, but Rainbow Dash was everything I couldn't possibly be. However this was a unicorn who wasn't that athletic, or strong, or threatening, but no one would ever dismiss her easily. Unlike me, she captured other pony's attention, and every minute of it. There were plenty of pegasi into fashion in Cloudsdale, but they were nothing like Rarity. It would be a pale comparison, and Rarity had one more thing far above any of them. She was friendly and welcoming."

"I felt all my nervousness come back to me in Rarity's presence. She asked my name, and I could barely squeak it out. Then she gave me one of the most lovely smiles I had ever seen. She gently coaxed me back into talking to her, asking about my way with Opalescence. We began talking about careers, and business, and just so many things I never even considered before. We actually had a lot in common for two ponies that were so different. She insisted that I start coming to the spa weekly with her, even though I never had the bits for it. She dismissed the idea of missing a spa day over something as silly as a few bits, and generously offered to pay for me. I couldn't take something like that for free though, so I offered to help her with her Boutique, since I was pretty good at sewing.

We worked together for quite awhile, she taught me how to run a business and everything I'd need to know to manage my own, since we both knew what I wanted is what I have now. Eventually it all came together. I grew to know Applejack through Rainbow Dash, and they both grew to know Rarity through me, and of course Pinkie Pie was there helping to string everything together."

"You know, for as random as Pinkie Pie is, when you look at the big picture like that it seems almost like clockwork." Spike spoke his thoughts out loud, before fully realizing what he was saying. The thought hung in the air as he turned to stare at Fluttershy who had joined his stare with a surprised look. One drawn out moment of silent thought later and they both came to the same conclusion.

"Naw!" The two finished the thought together with a laugh.

Twas at that moment the door to Fluttershy's bedroom flew open with a crack, and there stood a drenched bright pink pony covered with rain gear, a multitude of potently coloured umbrellas, wearing flippers, and a duck shaped pool floater wrapped around her from end to end. One particular smaller umbrella hovered over a tray of pink frosted cupcakes. Beside her in a yellow more practical raincoat that draped over her, stood a familiar purple unicorn with concern written over her features.

"Hi Guys! I finished baking back home and got bored while eating some yummy cupcakes I just made, then I noticed that it was really really really really storming outside! I thought to myself, you know who this kind of storm would scare? It would scare Fluttershy! And I think being scared without friends is no fun, and what's less fun than being scared with no friends around, is being scared with no friends OR cupcakes! So I rushed over here, but now I see Spike's here, and that's super DUPER cool because the only thing better than having friends around with cupcakes, is having MORE friends around while having cupcakes!"

Spike and Fluttershy stared blankly at the smiling pink pony gesturing the cupcake tray towards them both. It was Fluttershy that managed to put to spoken word to their simultaneous thought.

"What?"

Pinkie Pie took a deep breath as if to repeat everything again, before Twilight put her hoof over her friend's muzzle and gave a brief summary much to the appreciation of everypony else in the room. "Would you like a cupcake?"

"Yes." Fluttershy smiled, getting up past Spike to greet the new arrivals.

"Absolutely." The young dragon followed suit, picking one of the treats out and holding it up before shooting his tongue out at the morsel, instinctively coiling around it before snapping the treat back into his maw. between cleaning his fingers, he added, "I thought you still had some studying to do Twilight."

"I couldn't concentrate with all this thunder! The mayor specifically told us this was to be a RAINstorm not a thunderstorm. Now my whole month's schedule is thrown off! Not only will I have to study extra to make up for it, but now I also have to make time to book an appointment with the mayor and put aside more time after that to plainly discuss the differences between a thunderstorm and a rainstorm. I'll also have to spend time rearranging this month's schedule again. This surprise thunder is going to make for one hectic month!"

"Sounds like another case of claw cramp to me." Spike deadpanned.

"Well I certainly hope not, Owlicious is horrible at dication, that would put us behind even more!"

"You really have to relax Twilight, thunderstorms are crazy fun! You never know when something unexpected will happen, and they're like the greatest times for scary pranks ever!"

"Sc-sc-scary pranks?"

"Don't worry Fluttershy, I didn't have time to set any up today."

"Oh uh... I wasn't worried." The quiet pony let out a shaky breath she hadn't noticed she was holding. "I agree with Twilight though. I would have really liked to know we were having thunder today. That way I would have been able to properly prepare like I normally do and not have had Spike come all the way out here for nothing."

"Hey, don't worry about me. I didn't mind. It was actually pretty cool talking about the old days. We cleared up a couple misunderstandings, and I learned a bunch about you and Rainbow Dash, and that's always pretty awesome."

"Well of course its awesome! She's only the coolest flying stunt pony that's ever existed!" Pinkie pie snatched Spike and twirled around in excitement. Then the realization of his extra weight dawned on her, it also conquered her, leaving her crushed in a tangled pile beneath him. She pushed one of his wings away from her face, managing to peek out from under it. "Phew, That never used to happen. Wowsers Spike! You grew up a lot!"

"Yup! You're looking at bonafide dragon material." He grinned as he sat up, rolled off the winded pony, and flapped his latest limbs for emphasis. "I even have all my appendages now!"

"Not that he has any use for them yet." Twilight smirked, happily trotting all over his new found confidence.

Spike glared and folded his arms. "Hey, it'll come in time, right? Everything else draconic about me has."

"I don't know Spike, I really do think you should try to practice flying more. It is true we don't know anything about dragons, but we know that pegasi have to train to fly to get better at it. Fluttershy can attest to that, and they get their wings from birth."

"Who cares anyway?" Spike huffed, "flying is for ponies that have somewhere to go. Everything I want is right here."

"Aww, that's sweet Spike." Twilight smiled and her hoof on his arm "But you should still learn how. You never know, it could come in handy and you'll probably enjoy it."

"Well I don't mind," Spike shrugged, "but you do realize you'll have to give me time off to learn right?"

"I give you plenty of time off already!"

"Somehow I don't think one hour a day is gonna cut it, Boss." You could feel the sarcasm dripping off every word. "Its also the only guaranteed 'me' time I get. I'm not gonna waste it trying to get off the ground."

"Fine, I guess we can work something out." Part of her still wanted to protest. Giving Spike time off meant less studying for her, and more reorganizing the library. Something about this seemed important though. Spike wasn't just her assistant, he was her charge. It would be a failure on her part if she ended up responsible for the one dragon in the world that couldn't fly. It might even be something he'd regret for the rest of his life!

"Books on dragons are rare, but there's bound to be some about large flying creatures. We'll dig through the library tomorrow evening to give you an idea of how to start."

"Great." Spike rolled his eyes, not terribly enthused about the idea of more books pushed into his life.

* * *

The thunder rumbled ominously over the Sweet Apple Acres orchard and homestead. It was a large house, and an old house. Full of familiar loose and creaking floorboards, stains on hardwood finish, and strong walls. It had long sheltered the Apple Family from storms even when their eldest was in her filly years. Big Macintosh and Applejack were sitting in the office pouring over the annual record books. Applejack sighed, shutting another book, and placing it back on an old sturdy shelf that had once been her father's.

"That about does it." The orange furred mare turned to face her older brother, brushing the blonde mane from her endearing freckled face, before shoving her trusty hat back on. Her voice was filled with that drawl familiar to all the Apple Family and their rough and tumble nature. "Ah think we've been through 'em all."

"EeYup." Her brother answered simply. The large, strikingly red workhorse had the same light colours in his mane and the same freckles adorning his cheeks. He tended towards keeping everything as simple as he could, but his tone could make a single word mean a thousand of some other pony's. When he did have to speak more than single word answers, he didn't have as much drawl as his sister, but tended to speak slower and hold onto his words for longer. Now was not one of those times for longer replies. The disappointed tone in his answer said enough for Applejack.

"Another loss this year?"

"EeeYup."

"Ah don't git it!" Applejack stomped a hoof in frustration, "We even went an' managed tah get Spring on the go when it oughta thanks to Twilight."

"EeeYup. But there's alot you ain't taken into account AJ." Her brother closed his own book and went over to the wall calendar with a quill, marking a heavy black line through the harvest season of five years ago.

"What's that line fer?" Applejack came over to watch her brother's explanation of the farm's loss.

"That's how long I was injured, and you went and tried to do everythin' on yer own. The apple buckin' was done by the end of harvest season, but it was late harvest season. Any later, an' there probably wouldn't been much ripe left to buck. And that herd o' rabbits yah scared up ate a decent number of our crop."

Applejack suddenly destested that particular dark line, and she recognized instantly the negative numbers he began recording during the cider selling cycle. That one she grit her teeth over. Their pride as the Apple Family was on the line against that Flim Flam contraption. They gave over a good portion of the harvest to that competition, and in spite of their victory, it turned out to be a big loss where the books were concerned.

"Those brothers didn't just take up their share of apples, they uprooted a fair portion of our trees. That one has been hurtin' us awhile now, and its gonna keep on for a few years yet. An' then there's that little dragon's rampage through the orchard..." Big Macintosh continued.

Applejack paled at that. Its one thing to talk about taking a loss this year, it's another to be talking about losses for the next few years down the road too. She watched him keep marking black lines through a lot of the last ten years. All the late springs before Twilight Sparkle showed up got large black lines, and then more through dates she recognized coincided with many of the disasters that threatened Equestria and Ponyville. Why did everything that happened always seem to kick their farm in the teeth?

"What'll we do Big Mac? Ah ain't been gittin' much in the ways o' prize money from any o' the rodeos either, and Granny Smith's hip is only gonna git worse..."

"T'ain't as bad as it looks. If we just hang on for another couple years, an' Apple Bloom decides to stick around, we'll have another set of hooves to put the farm back into shape. Things'll pick up from there."

"Save your sugar coatin' for Apple Bloom. Ah don't know mah numbers well as yah, but even Ah can see plain that ain't gonna add up. There's gotta be somethin' we can do."

"We could ask for advice or help. Yer friend Rarity turned a clothes shop into somethin' in a town where nopony wears hardly a thing, and that Twilight Sparkle could put in word for us with the Princess 'erself."

"Rarity finds rubies like most ponies'd find rocks in the street. Who couldn't make a business out of that? An' it just don't feel right to be gittin' Twilight to ask special favours for us over any other farm in Equestria."

"I think yer under sellin' yer friends AJ. If'n ya don't want me sugar coatin' things for yah, then yah oughta know. We're in a tough spot, and even a small idea would go a looong way. If this farm goes under, all of Ponyville will be payin' the price. That means it ain't jus' an Apple Family problem." The large pony let out an equally large sigh as he put up his books and made his way off to bed.

She watched her brother leave the office, his parting words were left dangling in the air. Her heart sunk. The last thing this country pony wanted to do was to go bothering her friends about farm work. Big Macintosh wasn't wrong though, if they didn't find some way to help out the farm soon, it might all just spell the end for Sweet Apple Acres. Any more losses and they weren't going to be able to plant enough the following year to use all their land, and it would be a steady decline from there. Ponyville counted on their farm, and it wasn't too likely the little town could foot the bill for importing supplies.

"There's no way 'round it." Applejack admitted to herself as she turned to stare out the office window down the outside path that wound its way into Ponyville's rain slickened streets. "Ah ain't gonna make the same mistake twice. If the farm needs more'n we know how tah give, then Ah'm jus' gonna have tah ask somepony's help. The question now is, who do Ah ask?"

Figuring she'd hammer the details out on the way, Applejack threw on some rain gear and made her way out into the thunderstorm. No sense leaving to tomorrow what could be done today, and there was no one in the Apple Family a bit of rain could slow down. If anything the storm would keep other ponies indoors, and the less ponies that had a chance to know the situation, the better as far as she was concerned. She began running down her list of friends in her mind as she travelled the muddy farm roads and into the town proper.

"That means Ah need it tah be some pony that can keep a secret." She frowned at that thought. Her first idea was going to the smartest pony she knew, but great a friend as Twilight Sparkle was, she had a habit of getting as many ponies involved into a situation as she could if she thought it'd help. There was also no telling what Twilight Sparkle would think would help. Pinkie Pie was outright no help in this case, even if she was the best secret keeper in the world. What did Rainbow Dash know about farming? So that route was out as well. Fluttershy maybe, she ran her own business too, but she learned how from the most spoiled pony Applejack had ever met.

"Rarity." As if the very utterance of that name from Applejack's mouth broke something in the universe, a great bolt of lightning flashed, and split the dark sky. It outlined the silhouette of the distant Carousel Boutique in a frightening way. The shadows of the fake ponies that dotted the rooftop seemed somehow more alive, and angry in the storm. She doubted two more contrasting ponies ever existed at the same time. For the sake of Twilight Sparkle, they had learned to deal with their differences. For the sake of any of their friends, both would go to the ends of the world and that was deserved respect in Applejack's book. Going directly to her though, with no pony else around, and asking for help of all things... well that idea chilled Applejack to the bone so bad she barely felt the rain. Thunder crashed through the clouds as Applejack gritted her teeth and pushed on towards the foreboding structure. She couldn't help but feel she was about to seal a deal with a devil.

"Applejack?! Whatever are you doing out in a storm like this?!" The marshmallow coloured unicorn gasped, trotting around the counter, deep violet curls of mane bobbed with each step. She met her unexpected guest just past the doorway as the drenched orange work pony wandered into her shop, a trail of mud and water behind her. The foul mess earned a quick, distasteful glance, but could be dealt with after her friend was warm. "Hurry and come in darling, before you catch your death of cold!"

"Now Ah don't need yer fussin' Rarity, Ah'm jus' fine. Jus' a bit wet is all." Applejack unconsciously followed Rarity's gaze and looked at the trail left behind her and frowned, remembering Rarity's feelings when it came to dirt and added, "Ah'm sorry fer the mess, though."

"Think nothing of it until you're out of those wet clothes." Rarity insisted, "Not another word out of you until you're well on the way to being dry. Meanwhile, I'll put on a hot cup of tea for us." Rarity had moved off into the kitchen, already playing the part of gracious host.

Trapped.

Applejack sighed inwardly. All the rain and dirt in the world wasn't gonna get under her skin, but Rarity's doting would do so in minutes, still she was a guest in her home. More than that she came asking favours. The least she could do is be a bit mannerly, and the idea of being cozy and out of a storm wasn't completely without merit. The earth pony shed her rain gear, and placed it as neatly as she could manage on the coat rack, before wiping her hooves and heading into the living room to stand by the fire, relishing the feelings of warmth.

"There now, that must feel at least somewhat better darling." Rarity walked in with a teapot and a pair of dainty cups on a tray being carried by a blue aura, the same that currently enveloped her horn. She continued over to a couple small extravagantly styled couches, magically pulling over a coffee table between them, and setting the tea tray down. A blanket was hovered over and offered to Applejack, as Rarity got comfortable on one of the couches. Applejack rolled her eyes at the blanket but took the hint. Grabbing it and laying on the couch opposite Rarity before tossing the blanket over herself.

"Yeah thanks, but Ah still say its over doin' it."

"Nonsense, a work pony deserves to be spoiled every now and then. Quite frankly I only wish you allowed me to do so more often. Though I suppose I should ask why you're allowing it at all, you certainly wouldn't do so normally." Rarity answered while pouring them both some tea, and hovering a cup over to Applejack who pulled it to herself with both hooves. She glanced at the cup, and took a long sip of its contents, as she tried to think of how to put it in words that wouldn't embarrass herself completely. In the end she figured she'd just go with her old faithful method. Straight and to the point.

"Sweet Apple Acres is goin' under."

She watched Rarity choke on her tea, sputtering and scrounging for a nearby napkin to dab at the mess. Perhaps that was a bit too straight and to the point.

"Applejack, that is simply terrible, horrible news! However did such a thing ever come to pass?!"

"Big Mac's injury, out o' control herds of rabbits, several prior years o' late springs means late harvests, failed rodeo competitions, a couple of brothers with a cider-making contraption, a rampagin' five story high dragon destroying a good portion of profits and orchards... and that's just the start! It all adds up come the end of a year. We're gonna have enough tah plant for next Spring, but the year after? We can't say. If it keeps goin' with all these complications again, or even just one or two, there's good chance we ain't gonna have enough to plant n' plow our own lands."

"In short you're going to need a couple exemplary years to cover the losses and get back on track." Rarity nodded sympathetically, "You know of course, you are more than welcome to dab into my gem supplies to cover the costs?"

"Ah didn't come for no charity!" Applejack glared, she probably said it with more anger than she meant. She continued a bit more quietly staring into her tea, "Ah... Ah came fer yer help. Big Macintosh said probably ain't none in town that know the business side of things better'n you. Outside o' Filthy Rich an' his crowd and they'd have us up to our ears in debt if we asked anyway."

"I completely agree. Loans are totally out of the question in your situation. I can't advise anything until I've looked over your books personally, of course, though I don't doubt you both checked them more times than once before you came to see me."

"A lot more." Applejack agreed with a sigh.

"Well, it seems to me that if the world is coming up with so many random ways to complicate your business practices, it might be time to come up with a few creative ways to answer them. I'm sure Twilight Sparkle could research-"

"No!" Her voice came out so fast Applejack surprised herself, "Ah mean... please no. It was enough havin' tah tell ya'll about it without tellin' the whole town. Ah mean, if we have tah and we got no other choices Ah don't mind, but til we try a few things ourselves, can we keep this between us?"

"...I understand." Rarity nodded once again sympathetically. And she did. Pride was a big part of both of their careers, and it was hard to swallow it. The Carousel Boutique had fallen on hard times more than once when she was first getting started, and it hurt quite a bit each time she had to dip into her gem stocks for anything other than decorative purposes. However Rarity had the advantage of no one else knowing when she did, and the Boutique hadn't needed a gem contribution of that manner in many years. Especially after all these recent trips to Canterlot and the contacts she garnered there. Applejack had no such hidden resources to turn to, and was one of the most stubborn and prideful ponies she'd ever met. Having this information float around town would be simply devastating to her.

"That doesn't leave that many options for us, does it? Well, if you were willing to take a side job working with me it might be able to help.

"A side job doing what?"

"Why gem digging of course! Spike is such a dear, and he's practically made for gem collecting, but Twilight does keep him busy. As an early rising farm pony I believe you'd be of utmost assistance in my never ending search for precious stones, and you could even tow so much more back into town. Honestly I've been somewhat worried about my gem stocks. You see, all these trips to Canterlot and Manehatten leave me little time to go for a trot among the mountains. I'm afraid its been taking its toll, especially with my materials becoming in such high demand. I think this would help us both."

"Not to break your stride Rarity, but that don't make a lick o' sense. I wouldn't be able to find gems without yah there tah point 'em out, and with yah gone half the time, we'd both still be stuck."

"Well that's where I'm afraid we have to let somepony else in on our little secret as it were." Rarity waved a hoof dismissively as Applejack's eyes narrowed. "Just one mind. Certainly you didn't believe that I could be such a huge help that I could solve the conundrum all on my own? I'm not even in Ponyville all that much anymore Applejack. Why, even tomorrow I'll be off on another trip to Canterlot. No, we need somepony else to help in spite of your misgivings. "

"Who exactly?"

"Why, Twilight Sparkle! Simply no other pony would do, would they?"

"I don't mean nuthin' harsh by it Rarity, but she ain't exactly great at keepin' secrets."

"Oh, are you referring to that old debacle with Fluttershy's modeling? She learned her lesson then, I assure you. Besides she is the perfect pony for the job. With Spike there, she can mail letters directly to me and keep me informed of your farm's progress while I'm away. Even more than that, have you ever seen anypony so obsessed with checklists? I'm certain she could list out every farming expense and sale in the exact kind of detail I'd need to put a fully operational business plan together. She can also offer a perspective of magical assistance that you and I simply would never have. On top of that, no other pony in all of Ponyville knows how to find gems, and I really would be ever so grateful for the extra supplies."

"If you really think she can keep it quiet, Ah guess I'm fine for it, but nopony else, right?"

"I will be sure to take the utmost discretion. I'll take it up with Twilight tonight in fact. Before she can go to any other pony, she'll have to go through me, and I'll be sure to go through you."

"Alright, but what about Twilight's work in all this? Every pony is owed their fair due, and we'd be askin' a lot of her for nuthin'. That don't sit right with me."

"You'll just have to share some of the profit with Twilight then, an enterprising pony like herself would would certainly have an idea of what she could do with a few extra bits on the side. Should I stop by in the morning before I leave for your annual records?"

"Ah'll have 'em ready tah go." Applejack nodded before adding "Rarity...Ah can't thank yah enough for this."

"Think nothing of it. We're not even certain this will work out. I don't know if the gems you find will be enough on their own to pull Sweet Apple Acres out of its losses, but a farm enhancement here and there would certainly go a long way in doing so. Besides, you'll have nothing to thank me for even if it all goes well. You're still putting in a good day's work just at a different job for a time. And 'a pony is owed their fair due' as a wise pony once told me."

They both laughed at that. Applejack even accepted a second cup of tea before going back out into the storm. She felt better about things when she finally left. Rarity was a lot more understanding than she figured she'd be. She only offered the charity Applejack had been fretting about the once, and instead came up with a more work pony way of dealing with the problem for her. Things were looking up compared to an hour ago. They weren't outta the woods yet, not by a long shot, but there was some form of path at her hooves. Even if she didn't know where it would lead, for now that seemed more than enough.


	2. Chapter 2: The Freefall

Chapter 2

The Free Fall

The grass was wet with dew and rain from the previous night. It glistened in the caress of the sunlight, reflecting all the colours around it. Close by, a small, constant spray of water fell into a brook beneath it, forming a near permanent rainbow plummeting from a house made of clouds. In the brook a small tortoise stood on a rock, its head moving side to side, watching his pegasus pace angrily back and forth. The weather broke the night before, but here a storm was still clashing, just a very different type of storm.

"I can't believe this!" The affronted cyan pegasus gaped at the very official-looking roll of parchment, before crushing it into a ball and furiously hurling the paper ball to the ground at her hooves with an unsatisfyingly light bounce. "How could you do this to me, Twilight?!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen! I'm sorry, I really am! I thought the Mayor made a mistake; I had no idea you were just, um..." The purple unicorn hesitated as she searched for the words to describe her friend's actions, "...spicing up the work day." Twilight Sparkle finished with what she hoped looked like an innocent smile, but the flat look from her friend told her Rainbow Dash wasn't buying it.

"Look, you've got to believe that I never wanted _this_!" The familiar glow of magic unwrapped the offensive paperball with the official seal of Ponyville. In large print and very formal writing, the letter stated the following;

_Rainbow Dash, _

_You have been hereby suspended from your duties as Weather Team Captain for three months time due to negligence and direct violation of orders._

_Under your duty, in Celestia's light of the fifth month on the fifth day, a scheduled rainstorm had been replaced by a thunderstorm, disrupting the peace for all residents of Ponyville, as born witnessed to by Twilight Sparkle, concerned citizen. This neglect of proper duty cannot continue and further violations of scheduled weather will result in an immediate termination of your position."_

_By Official Order of her Honour, _

_The Mayor of Ponyville_

The note ended with another very official-looking seal.

"Horse apples! Twilight, I've had like, a bunch of rainstorms that turned into thunderstorms before and never received any backlash from it." Rainbow rolled her eyes at the letter and turned away from Twilight as they argued in front of the clouds and rainbows that made up her house. She loved Twilight Sparkle, but her friend could be so dense about the stupidest things, and right now Rainbow couldn't much stand to look at her. "_You_ decide _you_ don't like it, and suddenly _I'm_ suspended! The captain of the weather ponies, suspended! It's insulting! It's humiliating! And it's because _you_ felt the need to whine to the _mayor_ about the trivial differences between a rainstorm with or without thunder!"

"Well, they're not _completely _trivial, I mean Derpy could have destroyed the town hall again." Twilight couldn't stop herself. She knew, the moment it left her mouth, it was the wrong thing to say, but something inside her just tended to seize up if someone got the details wrong.

"Everyone watches Derpy when she's on the team! It's when she's flying solo that she's dangerous. That isn't even the point. You are my friend Twilight, _not_ my boss!" She wheeled around and pointed a hoof at Twilight's chest for emphasis. "And I'm getting really sick of you trying to be . You got a problem with the weather, you should have talked to me! You don't go around my back and talk to the mayor! I get the checklist thing. I do! But I don't follow checklists, Twilight! I don't want to see a checklist, and I'd honestly like to see Spike sneeze fire on every one of yours so you could try living without one for a single day!"

"I... I was just trying to help..."

"You want to help? Fine! Go tell Fluttershy she needs to watch Tank for three months." She gestured roughly towards the tortoise.

"Well... okay. Why does she need to do that though? I mean with the suspension and all, I thought you would probably have plenty of time to look after him."

"Because I'm going on vacation! If the mayor wants to give me time off, then I'm gonna use it! I've been meaning to visit Cloudsdale again for awhile, and now seems like a pretty good time."

"You're... going away for three whole months?"

"Yeah, Twilight, I am, and if you're lucky, I may finally be cooled down enough by the time I get back to look at you without wanting to force feed you this letter!" Rainbow snatched the letter from Twilight's magic aura, crushed it up once more and threw it towards Tank's pond. The tortoise, following Rainbow Dash's mood, deftly caught the notice before it landed in the pond. He quickly dug around the inside of his shell for a match; lighting the match by striking it off his shell, he fed the notice to the flame, and let the resulting ash fall to the pond. Rainbow Dash wandered over to pat the tortoise on the head.

"Okay, now you _and_ the mayor are blowing this whole thing out of proportion. A three month long suspension is ridiculous, and you leaving your home for three months is even worse!"

"Okay. Point number one: just who is it, you think, that blew the situation out of proportion to begin with, Twilight? Point number two: Ponyville is _not _my home. Ponyville is _your_ home. Ponyville is Fluttershy's home. Ponyville is Applejack's and Rarity's home. _My_ home is Cloudsdale."

"What? How can you say that? I know you're angry, Rainbow Dash, but you can't convince me that you don't consider Ponyville your home! You have fantastic friends here, you're the captain of the weather team, the master of the dojo, and you love the ponies here! Every pegasus for miles idolizes you!"

"Yeah... you're probably right, Twilight. That was going too far." Rainbow let the anger fall away from her now, and something new began taking it's place. A strange tone of voice took over the Rainbow Dash Twilight was unfamiliar with. The pegasus flew up and opened her door, and gestured for Twilight to follow her in. "Why don't you come in for something to drink? We're not getting anywhere out here. I promise I won't fly away as long as we can sit in my home like a couple of regular ponies. "

"Finally, you're seeing some sense. Just one minute I need to concentrate on that spell-"

"No magic."

"Wait, what?"

"I said, 'if we can go into my home and sit like a couple of regular ponies.' Regular ponies don't normally have magic spells to walk on clouds."

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight began, exasperated, just when she thought her friend was seeing sense, and now this? "Your home is _on_ the clouds, how can I go in there without using magic?"

"Could you repeat the first part of that question? I didn't quite catch it." A smug smile seemed to play across the pegasus pony's face.

"I said 'Your home is on the clou-' Oh..." Realization suddenly hit Twilight like a kick in the head.

"Twilight, don't get me wrong. You guys are great! I've never had any friends as close as any of you, and I have five of you! But not a single one has ever darkened my doorstep. Not you, even after you learned your spell to walk on clouds; not even Fluttershy and she's a pegasus! Not because she avoids me, but because all of you avoid _this _place. My _home_ is an inconvenience for all of my friends. Tank can't even come inside! Would you really call some place your home, if no friend you've ever had has ever paid a visit? I can't stand this place! I have to sleep on random clouds in town just to catch my friends half the time. You want me to spend three whole months locked in _this_ place? It might as well be a jail sentence!"

"Well, if you built it on the ground-"

"Hold it right there, Twilight. I'm a pegasus; actually no, I'm not just _a_ pegasus. I'm THE pegasus. I'm the pegasus everypony thinks about when they think about a pegasus. When I was a filly, I walked, ran, and played on the clouds. I ate with my parents on a cloud. I went to sleep on a cloud. I met my first friend on a cloud. I shared my first kiss on a cloud. My father went to work on a cloud. My mother raised me on a cloud. I want you to take all that into account when you finish that sentence."

"If you built it on the ground... then it wouldn't be your home." Twilight's ears fell as she looked into the grass at her hooves. She had so much fun when she moved to Ponyville, and in no time it had become the greatest place in the world to her. She felt like she belonged there. It rang so true in her heart that she couldn't fathom the idea that any of her friends didn't feel the same way, let alone the one representing the element of loyalty.

"Don't let it get you down, Twilight." Rainbow jumped easily from the 40 ft height to land in front of her friend, before putting a hoof on her shoulders and giving her a smile. "I do love this town, and the ponies here. You guys are the greatest bunch of pals anypony could ask for. It's just that home isn't your friends or just some place to sleep. It's a place you belong, where you really feel like you're contributing. A weather pony here is the only real use I have and its outright boring."

"Boring?"

"Twilight, I can clear skies in under 10 seconds flat. I can deliver a rainstorm in less than 10 minutes. Do either of those things and you're done for the rest of the day. There's no challenge to it! It normally doesn't bother me because it gives me plenty of time to work on my signature moves, but watching rain fall is about as fun as watching paint dry. If sprucing things up bothers you and the mayor so much, then well..." Rainbow moved past Twilight before taking a seat on the grass and staring up into the sky as the wind seemed to pick up around her. She closed her eyes and let the wind rush over her, ruffling her mane. Once more she felt the sky call, its booming voice pounding in her head. She felt the edge fall off her voice, as if she were talking more to herself than than Twilight. "Then maybe you're both right. Maybe I shouldn't be a weather pony at all..."

Twilight Sparkle felt her jaw go slack.

Thousands of arguments defied that logic. Within her head, each fought tooth and hoof for dominance, leaving the unicorn attempting to wrap her mouth around words that wouldn't come. Rainbow Dash took this gaping speechlessness as consent and approval.

"Maybe you're both doing me a favour." Dash stood, staring up at that calling sky, the intent obvious. She was ready to go right now.

"Wait a minute! Just hold on a second here... Aren't you deciding this kind of fast?"

"A pony's gotta follow her instincts!" The reply held some form of renewed confidence that only worried Twilight Sparkle that much more.

"Uh..." Twilight began to reach for something, anything to delay this. "How about packing? You're going to be gone for three months after all! You're probably going to need some things."

"I don't need that much; I'm not a material mare." Rainbow Dash grinned wryly and began stretching out her wings.

"How about where you're gonna stay?!"

"I got tons of friends that'd put me up for a while, and my parents' place can be a last resort." She crouched down, wings raised, that familiar thrill ran through her fur as she readied for takeoff. The sky beckoned, its voice deafening; she could barely hear her friend over it just a few feet away.

"What about them?! You should at least send a message to let them know you're coming, they'll probably want to set up a welcome home party, right?!" Twilight was shouting now, she didn't know why. Things hadn't gotten any louder, but desperation was leaking into her pleas as she seemed to be fighting a losing battle.

"Huh..." Rainbow Dash hesitated that time. "You think so?"

"Yes!" Twilight shouted, one part confirmation, three parts cheer she'd gotten through, "I would definitely want some notice if a friend I hadn't seen in years dropped in. I'd want to welcome her back right! Wouldn't you?"

"I guess I would..." The sky's call that had flooded her senses just a moment ago, seemed to have softened to a whisper as she began to doubt her actions. "But it will take a whole couple days to get a message to Cloudsdale."

"Good, because Pinkie Pie would never forgive you if you just took off for months without letting her throw a farewell party."

"Yeah, that's true." Dash chuckled picturing the pink pony somehow following her all the way to Cloudsdale just to tell her off.

"Alright, I'll head off in a week. that should be plenty of time to get things set up on their end."

"Great! I'll go let the other girls know."

"Alright, I better get those letters sent. Seeya, Twilight."'

* * *

Five friends were gathered around a table at the Carousel Boutique where a bewildering amount of arguing and impenetrable chatter took place. An uncommon closed sign hung in the entrance window. Twilight was massaging her temples with her hooves in the middle of the noise, utterly frustrated. Even if there was a valid option somewhere in this pandemonium of blame and hoof pointing, she wouldn't be able to hear it.

"Enough!" It was Applejack that saved her the trouble, and silenced the table. All eyes went to the farm pony as she glared down at the table. "We don't got no time for all this hoo-hah. We need tah figure this out and pronto. Ferget any parties or going away gifts, the point o'dis git together is to stop the goin' away from happening at all. Now does anypony here got any ideas?"

Continued silence was all that answered her call as each pony held their thoughtful expressions.

"Well... maybe it'd help if we went over the issues Rainbow Dash has been having, and try to come up with solutions to each one separately?" Twilight suggested.

"Yes... perhaps organizing our thoughts would do us some good, Darling." Rarity agreed. "I'm not even certain where all this stems from. Its only a few months vacation, is that so rare?"

"Not if that's all she was going for, Rarity, but she's going for all the wrong reasons!" Twilight stood up and concentrated. After a second a chalkboard appeared behind her, and a piece of chalk began scribbling a number of points. "Rainbow Dash is having several problems finding her place here in Ponyville. This has been complicated further by her recent suspension from her work with the weather ponies. Her first issue is finding a way to help out Ponyville while using her talents and skills in a way that challenges her enough to stay interested in the task; lack of meaningful work has made her feel unnecessary."

"That's just silly. Who wouldn't want a pony around as cool as Rainbow Dash around?" an utterly perplexed Pinkie Pie exclaimed rather loudly. "She's only the most unbelievably awesomest, most super duper pony EVER!"

"Bein' wanted an' bein' needed are two different things altogether, Sugarcube. Lots a ponies like havin' me around, but Ah'd be lost without the farm tah go back tah. It'd be Twilight without her library, Fluttershy with no critters tah look after, Rarity without dis here Boutique, or you without a Sugarcube Corner."

"Except the dear does her job so well it barely has enough time to hold her attention at all." Rarity sighed dramatically. "Our Rainbow Dash was born for the sky, but outside of the weather, Earth pony villages have little use for a pegasus. It really is rather sad."

"But Ponyville does need her! She helps ponies all the time! She's always looking out for others, she's practically Ponyville's very own superhero! I can't think of a single pony in town that doesn't admire or look up to her in some way. What could be cooler than that?!"

"That does sound like something she'd be very interested in, Pinkie," Fluttershy answered quietly, "but... I mean... I think... maybe our Mare-Do-Well lesson might have worked tiny bit too well? I mean ...we stopped her from being conceited, but ... we may have also taught her that it was something anypony could do?"

Twilight frowned at that thought. That whole superhero plan was a scheme she cooked up to take Rainbow Dash down a notch from the arrogance she began to exhibit. Now Twilight felt she was the source of two of the complications for one of her friends. Similar thoughts were running through the minds of those around the table. That was a plan they'd all taken part in. There was a long drawn-out moment of silence as everyone attempted to think about some form of event that could help keep the local speedster busy for any real length of time. After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Rarity sighed in some amount of frustration.

"We don't seem to be getting anywhere on that particular front right now. Perhaps we could look to one of the other problems we have a better chance at resolving, hmm?"

"Good idea Rarity." Twilight considered the next issue a moment before the chalk went to work writing it out. "The second point of issue is the limitation of her house and the amount of visitors she receives. Since no one has ever stopped by, it doesn't feel much like a home."

"Oh my... If I had known I would have visited her before now, I'm so sorry... I was there when she finished it, but I don't know why I never went back... This is all my fault..."

"No Fluttershy, it isn't." Twilight protested quickly, "None of us have ever made the extra effort to come find her there. In fact, outside of Pinkie Pie, she has always had to find us. The problem is that Earth Pony and Pegasi cultures really clash with each other, making it difficult for everypony involved. Rainbow Dash gets homesick, and her house is really about the only thing that reminds her of Cloudsdale, and who she is. She doesn't want to give it up, and I don't think I'd want to if I were her, either."

"So we have to look for some way of making it feel like a real home for her? Then I'll throw her a welcome home party she'll never forget! All we need to do is get Twilight to magic us all up on clouds for the day, gather all the pegasus ponies and have a real bash!"

"You want to welcome her home after she gets back, Pinkie? I was kind of hoping to solve this issue before she leaves. Three months is a long time, and she might end up deciding to stay. After all, she has a lot more chance to get into the Wonderbolts if she trains in the same skies they use."

"Yah really think she won't come back, Twilight? Ah mean, Ah know she's biting at the bit over this whole suspension thing, but if she didn't even like bein' a weather pony that much, why's she been doin' it all these years? She's gotta have a reason tah be here in Ponyville."

"Hmm... You know? You're absolutely right, Applejack. She must have had some kind of motive to move here. No offense, Fluttershy, but I sincerely doubt she came purely to keep up with an old friend, I mean you said she has a lot of friends in Cloudsdale. Why doesn't she ever go check up on them?"

"Oh no, no offense taken, Twilight. I mean, I don't think she'd have stayed this long just for that either. I can take care of myself after all, anypony can see that."

"Well, I think its quite clear that she has an underlying reason she hasn't told anypony. Oh! Maybe it's a stallion! No wait! I know, it has to be some scandal she's hiding from? That would be just like her!"

"Rarity please." Twilight rubbed the bridge of her muzzle with her hoof. "No adding scenarios with no evidence to support them."

"But Twiliiiight," Rarity replied with a small whine, "with nothing else to go on, _any_ idea we have won't have any real ground to stand on. If we're just going to guess, than we might as well make it thrillingly tragic!"

"She actually has a point, Twilight." Applejack chuckled. "Everythin' else would jus' be hearsay til we figure out what brought that pegasus down this way tah begin with."

"I suppose that's true. We have one week before she takes off. We need everypony to figure out something she could do to contribute to the town in that time, and figure out why she came here in the first place. We MUST succeed!"

"I hope you don't need _every _pony Twilight. I'm afraid I simply won't be here. Oh maybe I should just cancel, this is important after all..."

"Oh right, your trip is today isn't it? Your business is important, too, Rarity, you have to go. It wouldn't be right to keep you from it."

"Well... if you're sure you can handle this without me, I can cancel. I can't say it won't cause trouble, but it's more than worth it."

"Ain't no chance Rarity, you've worked somethin' fierce to get these trips tah Canterlot goin'. There's no point helpin' out one friend only tah put another out. We'll handle this."

"Very well." She sighed standing up, "but you will keep me posted? I'll want to know everything!"

"Absolutely."

"Alright then, I better get going, Spike has probably already worked himself to the bone with all that luggage the poor dear, I wouldn't want to be late to see him at the station. Thank you so much for lending him to me before every trip Twilight."

"Somehow," Twilight giggled, "I don't think he minds."

* * *

She loved this feeling, this familiar scrape of wheels against road with gravel spitting up at her back. The vibration grinding against her hooves as the exhilarating acceleration left the passing ponies, trees, and houses a blur at the side of her vision. She tore along Ponyville's roads and alleys, her wings an indistinct haze of motion, pushing her ground velocity to levels no other pony could touch. Her pinkish-purple mane whipped back and forth behind her from the blasting force of air, nervous sweat soaked into her orange fur and she narrowed her purple eyes in concentration. Determination plastered all over her face as she focused on the rickety piece of wood they had leaned over a cinder block.

This time it was gonna work. Even without Applebloom and Sweetie Belle there to cheer her on and overcome Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara and their jeering and insult-slinging psych outs. They were all just distractions drowned out by the thunder of her scooter's wheels. They would not dissuade her. Today was the day her life was gonna change.

Today, she was going to leave the scooter behind.

Today, she was gonna fly!

The scooter hit the makeshift ramp with practiced ease and lifted high into the air. She fought the terror, the frantic need to hang on to her precious instrument of speed, her mental crutch that had held her back for all these years. She felt herself let it go. She clenched her teeth hard and squeezed her eyes tight as she strained to push her wings in an even pattern as fast as she could, concentrating completely on leaving everything behind and finally taking that first flight she'd been longing for.

Her wings continued to buzz behind her, the rush of wind rang impossibly loud in her ears, its voice deafening, dizzying! She fought to ignore it, to push it all to the back of her mind, fought to keep her wings even, pushing against the wind beneath them.

This was it, she realized, this really was it! She was flying! She opened her eyes to gloat over the two fillies who were both smirking widely at her still.

But why would they-

A sudden resounding CRASH rang out and her world fell to darkness.

"Hey silly filly, are you alright?" It was a bright cheery voice that Scootaloo woke up to, at least she thought so. It was difficult to tell past the ringing in her ears. She shook herself fully awake and made an attempt to assess her injuries, finding a couple lumps on the side of her head, and swelling in one of her eyes making it unable to open completely. She worked her jaw and was pretty sure a tooth or two were loose, but none were completely knocked out. She shook her head again to clear the fuzziness still left in her vision and looked up to see a brilliant pink coloured blotch standing over her head. She squinted hard attempting to bring the fuzz into focus.

"Ow…Wow… Pinkie Pie is that you?"

"I sure hope so, if I'm not me I don't know who else to be!" The pink fuzz giggled. "I probably wouldn't be very good at being anypony else. Need a hoof?"

"Yeah, thanks." Scootaloo accepted the outstretched leg, and let it pull her back onto unsteady feet. "What happened?"

"I think you got a really, really, REALLY big urge to come visit me! I guess using the door would have took too long. When I really, really, really need to come visit me I normally use the window, but you went right through the wall! That's way more urgent than I get!"

"When you visit you? What? The wall?!" The Pinkie Pie language barrier was hard to deal with in the best of mind frames, so saying comprehending her immediately after a head injury was more difficult would be a severe understatement. In answer, Pinkie only smiled and gestured towards the Scootaloo-shaped hole in the wall, the debris surrounding it, and the remnants of a scooter broken in two. The sight left a very clear idea of the situation.

"Oh." Scootaloo stared at the scene, not certain if she should be more upset by the loss of the precious scooter, or by the huge mess she just caused.

"Pinkie Pie? What was that crash? What are you doing up there?" Mr. Cake's voice floated from the downstairs shop. Scootaloo's eyes went wide. She'd be in so much trouble if-

She didn't have time to finish the thought as Pinkie answered.

"The usual!" Pinkie called back.

"Uuh… Oh… just be sure to clean up afterwards." Mr. Cake wasn't exactly sure what 'the usual' entailed; only that it often involved crashes and other loud noises. The only thing he was truly certain about, is that he'd regret the answer if he asked ever asked what it was.

"Okie dokey lokey!"

"Thanks for covering for me." The filly looked up gratefully.

"Covering for you? I wasn't covering for you. I really am doing my usual. You just came to visit before I could finish." She giggled. "So what brought you up to see me in such a hurry?"

Scootaloo grinned back. This pony was crazy, in an awesome way, but still utterly crazy. Sane or not, Scoot figured she owed her an explanation.

"I uh… wasn't actually looking to visit you in particular. I was trying to fly, but your wall got in the way."

"Yeah, it does that." Pinkie glared at the offending wall for a moment, remembering several incidents when practicing with her flying bicycle. "It works better once you learn how to turn."

"Yeah, well I guess I'll figure out how to turn once I figure out how to stay up in the first place," Scootaloo grumbled, nonplussed at the reminder of her ineptitude.

"Oh! You don't know how to fly? Than how'd you get all the way up here?"

"Well, I kinda thought that if I hit the ramp with my scooter at full speed, I'd be able to get high enough to fly on my own. I guess it didn't work out." She kicked a piece of debris, frowning at the results of her best idea yet to get her into the sky.

"Well… you got halfway up, so it halfway worked, right? You just need to get the other half." Pinkie Pie smiled in attempt to bolster the disheartened pegasus.

"You don't understand, just flying isn't enough! I'm not only the only pony to not have their cutie mark in my grade, but I'm the only Pegasus that can't fly yet! Its humiliating! I have to do more than just fly, I have to prove to myself that I'm not this pathetic! I even made a Pinkie Promise to myself that I'd be able to win the Fledgling Flier Competition next Fall, and I can't even get into the air yet! I'm the laughing stock of the entire school."

Scootaloo glared at the floor and waited for some form of response; she looked up when she never received one. Pinkie Pie seemed to have stopped listening before Scoot finished, the pink pony seemed stalled in front of her.

"Y..you… p…p.. p..promi…" Pinkie Pie stuttered with each word, her pupils shrank to the size of a pin pricks, her fur stood on end, and she stared off into a world only she could see. She went still for a full minute; a terrified expression took over her demeanor as her vibrant pink fur began to go pale.

"Uh… Pinkie Pie… are you okay?" Scootaloo asked with no small amount of trepidation, trying to wake the older pony from this disquieting trance.

"AAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!" The startling scream left Scootaloo too stunned for action as a second hole in the wall appeared beside the first, this time Pinkie Pie-shaped. The filly peeked outside through the shattered wall to see a pink blur screaming through the small town and towards the horizon.

"Was it something I said?"

"Pinkie Pie? What was THAT crash?" Mr. Cake's voice once again floated from down the stairs.

"Eep!" Scootaloo panicked, snagged the pieces of her scooter and followed the pink pony's escape plan through one of the holes before fleeing the disaster scene.

* * *

"Here it is now." The pristine white unicorn stood from her spot on the boarding platform, her perfectly styled purple curls tossed in the wind as the large machine whistled loudly, clouds billowing out from its smokestack as a hundred wheels squeaked to a slow stop. Everypony at the station winced at the loud clamour, this strange hint towards progress that contrasted greatly against the rustic little town of Ponyville.

There was always a crowd at the station as ponies moved quickly to unload and load belongings and crates of produce on their way to bustling cities with bigger sales, deeper pockets, and greater opportunities.

Rarity was just such a pony. Mounds of luggage sat beside her on carts and trolleys, the last of them came along, being pushed by a young dragon. The traveling ponies on the train had only recently started to get used to of the idea of a dragon in the small village; he still turned the heads of any ponies new off the locomotive. The sight of the savage fire breathing beast left him plenty of room, no matter how thick the crowd, to push Rarity's carts along. Most were more than willing to give the mythic rare sight however much space it needed to get through. He was always polite about it, minding his pleases and his thank you's. She paid them no heed as she turned to greet her old friend with a smile.

"Whew." He wiped the sweat off his brow, smiling down at Rarity. "It seems like you have more stock every time."

"That's because I do darling, and I simply _must_ thank you again. You really needn't do all of that on your own, I could always employ some ponies to deliver it."

"Nah, I don't mind. I'm used to carrying stockpiles of books and they're way heavier than a bunch of dresses, anyway. Besides, somepony should be here to see you off."

The first couple of times Rarity had left for Canterlot and Manehatten their entire group of friends had shown up to bid her well wishes and a good journey. Pinkie Pie had thrown a farewell party right there at the station for her; it was more than a little embarrassing for Rarity, but she adored her friends for it all the same. Spike had to attend to the library that day, but he came around the middle of the party only to volunteer to get her bags for her. It was only one mound of luggage back then, compared to the many piles of it now, but he was still fairly small, he spent the entire party loading the train.

As the trips grew more common, fewer friends could show up to say goodbye, but the luggage piles would grow and Spike continued to volunteer his help. Every single time without fail she could count on him to see her off and to await her arrival.

"Oh Spikey-wikey, you're such a dear." She laid a hoof on his arm, a sign of genuine gratitude, "but I make so many of these trips, it's a weekly routine now. You really needn't bother, but I do appreciate it."

The light touch on his scales sent shivers up his arm, and a blush took over his face as he suddenly found the piles of suitcases very interesting, or the train, the loading platform, or the crowds. Anywhere but Rarity's azure eyes.

"It's a good thing I won't have to burden you with it much longer." Rarity allowed herself a silent giggle as he averted his eyes. The rosy tint that spread along his cheeks clashed horribly with his purple scales making it impossible to hide. It was still utterly adorable, even after all these years.

"Its no burden, really!" Spike protested quickly, as he always did when she spoke out against his coming to see her off, but something about what she said wasn't the same as always. "Wait... what do you mean 'much longer'?"

"Oh dear, I've went and said too much, haven't I?" Rarity shook her head, maybe he was too adorable, she let slip something she really wished she hadn't. "Promise you won't tell the others yet? I wanted so much to announce the news properly."

"I promise! I promise! What news? Are you going to be around more often?"

"Oh Spike, just the opposite I'm afraid." Rarity sighed with a frown. Sharing the news early was only part of the problem. Sharing it alone with Spike at the train station, specifically while he was just about to see her off, was far from her ideal moment. It certainly had the dramatic flare she tended to look for, but it had the potential to be very painful news, particularly so in his case. He stared at her expectantly now. It was too late to back out. She gathered herself and smiled gently before continuing.

"I've purchased another boutique in Canterlot. That's why the last few trips have been so laden with luggage, Spike. It's all stock for filling up the shelves and racks with material and dresses for the grand opening."

She felt her stomach flutter when she spoke about it aloud. It was so exciting, it was finally happening. After years of sales, savings, meetings and working her hooves to the bone, she had finally acquired a shop in the capital city of Equestria. She was excited, she was scared, everything could go so well, and everything could go so wrong! There was still more at stake than just her career, all her family and closest friends resided here in Ponyville. Leaving them behind would be no small hardship, and she had been putting off the announcement for just that reason. There was still so much to do from a business side of things, trying to handle that and personal issues with the business venture would be utterly overwhelming. She had hidden her anxieties from her friends easily with her many absences and work orders, but they began to gnaw at her insides now that one of them knew. She looked up to read his face only to be startled as she was pulled into hug and twirled around.

"That's amazing Rarity! You really did it! I mean, we all knew you could, but that isn't the same as going out and actually doing it! Your dream is really coming true!" The dragon continued to hug her tightly after the brief spin.

"Spike!" She gasped, hardly the reaction she was expecting! One she was overjoyed to receive, though. She had to hang onto him a few moments after having her world spun around so suddenly, just until she regained her balance of course. Nothing to do with that strong, stable back that held her up so easily. Hugging tightly back was only proper appreciation as well.

"Please dear, there's no need to be so enthusiastic, it's still a very risky business venture, one that could fall through."

"Yeah right, you're going to do great! Canterlot will love having you. And I would know, I'm from Canterlot after all!" He gave her one of those boyish grins he was just so good at. The bright cheerful laughter in his words left her smiling widely, and she felt her anxieties fade a little at his encouragement. She hadn't been sure he understood that she was actually talking about leaving for good at first, but he did. He did know and he was still so excited for her. Maybe breaking the news wouldn't be as difficult as she thought it would be after all.

"All aboard!" Behind her the train whistle blew, and the familiar call of the conductor flooded the station.

It was time to go. She pushed off Spike's chest to look at the train, before looking back at him.

"Remember, its just between you and me, I'll give the announcement when I come back. Oh thank you my dear little Spikey-Wikey!" She hugged him again quickly before turning to bound towards the train. She quickly opened a window and waved a handkerchief. "Goodbye! Take good care of Twilight! Oh and remember to send me any news about Rainbow Dash!"

"I will! And I want all the details when you get back!"

She watched him wave, an excited smile plastered all over his face.

"Rarity, you were fretting over nothing, you silly mare." She sat back, taking out a sketchbook and a pencil, and floating up her reading glasses to place on her muzzle.

He watched the train leave until the last car was gone, standing there with a well practiced smile and wave as that heart crushing steam engine stole her away once more like so many times before. For years now he had watched her leave. Smiling and waving as was appropriate, he'd suspected all along it was leading to this as the trips became more frequent all the time.

He missed her.

She was gone so often nowadays, and even when she was in town she was often so busy she had little time to give. He missed her when she was gone, and he missed her when she was still here. Each send-off was devastating, every welcome home was an elation. He felt his emotions go up and down and twist around inside him, but he'd grown accustomed to the constant extremes.

He watched the worry creasing her eyes as she sought the right words to tell him, he could see the anxiety there, the doubts, concerns, and distress that plagued her. When he heard the news, what was happening in her life that she had been so secretive about, his heart jumped up and did a spin! Everything she had worked so hard for was right there, on the horizon.

The weight of its meaning for _him_ would undoubtedly leave him fighting tears by the time he was alone in his room. For now, the stunningly happy tidings were just overwhelming. Almost as overwhelming as the feeling of her weight in his arms. He blushed vividly as he recalled her fur pressed against him. Somewhere in the hidden torrent of feelings below, a young hatchling was squealing in cheer. He actually managed to bring himself to hug her. It was stupid to be so happy in the face of something so inevitably sad, but emotions were rarely so easy to understand. He coughed a bit, with a smile wider than the sky, before turning towards home.

* * *

The littlest of fillies and colts laughed and played around the green grass, pushing each other on the swings, putting together intricate sand castles in the sandbox, and running through a sprinkler set up on the rolling lawns on the hot summer day. The laughter and noise of foals floated all around as they pretended to be super heroes or villains, their sticks and balls were imagined to be fantastical fabled weaponry and spells of old.

In stark contrast to her surroundings one of the oldest of the fillies in the park waited by a trio of trees, a sullen mood had taken over as she held a bag of ice over her injured eye. Though she couldn't really be considered a filly anymore, now that she thought about it. They had graduated the elementary school in the spring, but here she stood, in the park, still without a cutie mark, still unable to fly. In one of the trees beside her were carved the initials SB, AB, and SL with CMC in big emboldened letters above it and underlined even. This had long been the 'in-town' meeting spot for the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

A flush of embarrassment marked Scootaloo's features as she remembered their many antics. It had only ended a year ago, and it was hard remembering just how immature it all was. No regrets though, no matter the humiliating predicaments they had placed themselves in time and again, there never would be a regret.

They had enjoyed every single one.

In the past years, two of the three friends had found their calling somewhere in their crusades. It seemed so obvious now when she looked back. Sweetie Belle had always had a tune and love for music, and showed it so many times. They just never connected it with being her special talent for whatever reason. They were looking for all the wrong signs, thinking if they managed to do their special talent even once, its mark would appear magically at their flanks. It wasn't true however. It took something special, something that showed them how much they enjoyed their special gift. Now several music notes along side of a trio of magical looking stars adorned Sweetie Belle's flank.

With the new information at hoof, Apple Bloom's flank was displaying a hammer, screwdriver, and saw crossed one over another, placed upon a large red apple not long after. All it took was another huge renovation of the Crusader Clubhouse, something that was special to all three friends. The place was now fit to hold a bedroom large enough for their slumber parties, a small kitchen area where they stored treats, tire swings built from old parts from abandoned farm vehicles, and even a second story built into the surrounding trees, with ladders and rope bridges.

It did not just increase in height but also expanded to the surrounding area as its own little park. At Apple Bloom's talented hooves and supervision of their efforts it developed a small skate stunt park, several slides, an oversized jungle gym, and its own child-sized sport's field. Even Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had to begrudgingly admit the Crusader Clubhouse was utterly awesome, though it was falling to disrepair for the last year for lack of use. The Crusaders simply didn't have enough time anymore to make full use of it, and that was kind of a shame considering all the work the three put into it.

Her own Cutie Mark Crusader story hadn't worked out so well. The trio were all pretty sure of her talent with the scooter, and arranged impressive scooter stunt shows that went off perfectly. Still no mark had ever appeared. They couldn't figure out why, though Scootaloo had begun to suspect and feel guilty over taking up all their time. They spent the better part of the last five years searching for a way to gain the esteemed mark and they were running out of ideas.

She couldn't bare to tell them, but Scootaloo was losing interest in the idea altogether, she wasn't even sure if she wanted a scooter Cutie Mark anymore. For a long while now her interests had turned towards flight, but she just couldn't touch the sky no matter how hard she tried. The earth pony school held little in the way of flight classes, and what attempts were made usually ended in disaster. Pegasi learned quickly it was better to be home schooled in that particular study. The trouble was Scootaloo's parents were both earth ponies, she inherited her wings from her grandfather who currently lived in Cloudsdale. Even so, most pegasi her age had learned how to fly naturally, and she could barely manage to hover a meter off the ground on her best day. She was beginning to wonder if her talent for the scooter was to make up for an inability to fly, and this suspicion turned to a secret grudge towards the broken instrument at her side. Between full out flight, and being good at some scooter stunts, could the two gifts even be compared?

"Howdy Scootaloo! Sorry Ah'm late!" The familiar twang of accent associated with the Apple family farmers signaled the arrival of one of her steadfast friends. Apple Bloom's red mane bounced happily along with her, still tied back neatly in the same bow she always had, though it no longer seemed exaggeratedly large for her, as the yellow furred earth pony trotted casually along.

"Ah got caught up in the plans fer the new town hall. Looks like she'll be right nice once its all done up. Sweetie Belle not here yet?"

"I'm here!" Called out the weary, out of breath unicorn, she fell down dramatically upon reaching the clearing. "Whew! Fluttershy lives ridiculously far away from the park. Why would a pony that's scared of the Everfree woods live that close to it?"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom laughed as they walked over to help their friend back to her hooves. Sweetie Belle casually dusted off the dirt and grass from her white fur, and the curls of her light purple and pink mane. Once finished she looked up at her friends with a smile, before gasping at the ice pack on her friend's face.

"Scootaloo! What happened to your eye?"

"My scooter and I met a wall earlier." Scootaloo gestured back to her broken mode of transportation. Apple Bloom gave a low whistle as she walked over to inspect it.

"Yah musta been goin' at some speed Scoots, it snapped right in two. That's sayin' something considerin' the oak this was made outta. Ah made it tah take a beatin'."

"Here let me see that eye. Wow, its swollen completely shut, put the ice back on. Have you been to the hospital yet?"

Sweetie Belle didn't concern herself with the scooter, instead choosing to inspect the injury. Scootaloo sighed as she let her friend fuss over her, as always. Injuries were a common occurrence to the Crusaders and Sweetie Belle had taken to nursing the team back to health, usually putting to use some of what she gleaned from Fluttershy's work with her animals. But large bruises, black eyes, and swelling were the usual for a stunt pony like Scootaloo, and the idea of going to the hospital over something this small was not an option as far as she was concerned.

"Its fine Sweetie Belle, its not that serious." Scootaloo shrugged away her friend's efforts after putting the ice pack back on, and changed the topic towards the scooter and Apple Bloom. "Do you think you can fix it?"

"Ah don't think so." Apple Bloom shook her head. "Ah mean, Ah might be able tah, but Ah don't think yah'd want it. It'd be easier tah break than ever if Ah just patched it up. It will probably be better if we put together a new one for yah."

Scootaloo frowned at this. She had that scooter a lot of years, and there was an unexpected pang of hurt over its loss. While scooting around was becoming old compared to her desire to fly, it was always something that was there for her. That little scooter held a lot of memories for her and the Crusaders. Sweetie Belle took in her friend's expression and took a moment to think of how to cheer her up

"Well, it was kind of getting a bit small for you lately, so maybe it was time to retire it. We should put a new one together, and customize it perfectly for you!"

A new scooter? Customized specifically for her? Scootaloo walked over beside Apple Bloom and put a hoof on the broken remains. It sounded pretty cool actually, a scooter specifically put together by the crusaders.

"How long would it take, Apple Bloom?"

"Tah make one from scratch? Well if we wanna do it right, it'd take time to research what we need for materials, get yer measurements, and test yer preferences, that's before we even begin makin' the parts. Tah make it proper it might take a good month a work."

"Are you sure you want to do that, guys? Sounds like it might take up all of our time, and you two have been real busy lately. It might be easier to just to put together some bits to buy a new one. I don't want it to be months before I can drive one again, and I don't want to have to sink what time we can manage to hang out into this."

"Um… yeah, it might be better to do that then." Sweetie Belle supplied a bit quieter about the topic than she was before, "I might not actually be in Ponyville in a month's time to help, so…"

"Where else would you be?" Scootaloo asked as she paused and looked at Sweetie Belle, puzzled.

"Well… my sister kinda, sorta has me… goingontourwithSapphireShores." Sweetie Belle rushed the end of her sentence quietly, embarrassed. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other hesitantly.

"What now? Say that last part again, would yah?" Apple Bloom pressed trying for something with a bit more clarity.

"… going on tour with Sapphire Shores?" Sweetie Belle gave her two friends an apologetic look.

"THE Sapphire Shores?!" The jaws of her friends dropped to the ground. When Scootaloo finally managed to find her voice, she could only repeat what she heard, trying to confirm the idea to herself. "You're going on tour with Sapphire Shores?!"

"Well yes, but only as a background singer! She heard me singing upstairs when she was talking to Rarity and said she had to have me. Rarity told her she could have all the outfits she needed for free if she took me under her study, but since she's always on tour she said she could only do that between concerts. And nothing is for certain yet! Miss. Shores said she had to confirm it with her manager first, we're waiting for word back."

"That's darned amazing, Sweetie Belle! Congratulations! When were you planning on lettin' us all know?" Apple Bloom's smile grew as she wrapped her friend up in a hug.

"Well, Rarity wanted to make a large show out of it and turn it into and announce it during Pinkie Pie's next party."

"Guess we should have known that." Scootaloo laughed and took Sweetie Belle up in another hug as soon as Apple Bloom let her go. "How long will you be gone for if everything goes well?"

"Well..." She nervously started, trying to pick her words carefully, they came out as a quiet whisper as she looked away, "Its a yearlong tour..."

Sweetie Belle found the hug she was in suddenly get a LOT tighter, so tight she was starting to have trouble breathing. Scootaloo hadn't seemed to realize the strength of her grip for a long moment as the trio became dead silent. Apple Bloom shook herself out of the daze only once she noticed Sweetie Belle's predicament, before prying her friends apart.

"A year?" Scootaloo questioned, more to herself than to her friends, as the world seemed to spin around her. She had to be without one of the crusaders for a full year?!

"I'm sorry I kept it from you guys, but I didn't want to say without knowing for sure, and I'm honestly kinda worried about it, and I'm not sure about singing in front of a crowd still; I'm still not even sure I want to go! It just happened so fast I..."

"No way! You don't got nothing to be worried about! Sapphire Shores better watch out, cause our Sweetie Belle will steal the show right out from under her!" Scootaloo shook away sluggish thoughts and declared loudly. Maybe a bit too loud, there was a tremble trying to break out somewhere in that proclamation and none of the close friends missed it

"I guess…" She bit her lip, and looked at her two best friends in the world. "I'm not sure I'll do it even if the answer comes back yes...I mean a year-"

"Well o' course yer gonna! Why would yah even need tah think about somethin' like that?" Apple Bloom interrupted, ignoring the wetness burning at the edge of her eyes. "This is a great chance for yah, Sweetie Belle! Yah can't miss it over a few nerves. Besides, Sapphire Shores wouldn't just ask anypony outta the blue. She's a darned professional. If she thinks yah can do it, then yah can do it. More'n that, _we_ know yah can!"

"But we've been together so long, I just don't really know if I could without you two by my side. Singing in front of a crowd and everything? What if I mess up and I ruin Miss Shore's concert?"

"You'll do great, Sweetie Belle, I just know it." Scootaloo stated with enough confidence to squash any attempt at argument. "Besides, just because we're not together doesn't mean we won't be cheering for you. When you're up on that stage, you just remember we're up there with you. You can even shout it out right before you go on stage, Cutie Mark Crusaders Singing Sensations!"

The three friends couldn't help but laugh at the embarrassing nostalgic call back to their youth. It was a strange laugh that took them, mixed with hidden tears, and wiped eyes, filled with feelings of great loss and pride, best wishes and strained farewells to come. The three fillies shared another hug, but then, they didn't feel much like fillies anymore.


	3. Chapter 3: Fighting the Panic

Chapter 3

Fighting the Panic

"…And worst yet, she Pinkie promised! To herself! _**THAT'S THE WORST POSSIBLE KIND TO BREAK!"**_

Rainbow Dash stared stupefied as her friend's voice took on a harsh, dark tone before she flopped to the ground, her legs splayed out, completely out of breath from her sprint from town and lengthy exposition. It was the day after Rainbow Dash received the letter of suspension from the mayor, and she managed to calm down a fair amount. She still had a week to kill before she'd be off to Cloudsdale. Something she had been putting off for a long time now, and she was starting to get nervous about the whole idea of going back. There would be a lot to confront waiting for her back there.

She was working out, training hard to blow off steam and settle her nerves, when Pinkie Pie had suddenly run screaming out of nowhere and barrelled into her. While they both struggled to their hooves, the pink sugar rush had managed to buzz through her entire encounter with Scootaloo, in extraneous detail. She was somewhat impressed with herself for actually managing to understand everything she said. Most would had given up without trying.

"Its okay Pinkie, breathe. Come on now, air is important to your existence. You gotta remember to keep breathing when you're talking, no matter how important it is."

Her only reply was long choking gasps as Pinkie Pie attempted to follow Rainbow Dash's advice. The pegasus didn't even try to keep the smile from her face. She needed a smile after everything that happened yesterday. The thought occurred to her that she probably should have gone to see Pinkie a lot sooner after all that. There was nothing that wasn't funny about this situation, same as it always was when dealing with this particular pony, except maybe the results of a broken Pinkie promise. She felt a chill go down her spine. She didn't wish that fate on any pony, least of all one of her biggest fans. That poor filly had no idea what she got herself into.

"You alright now, Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash tried after a minute or so.

"Yep!" Pinkie Pie was up in a flash, smiling wide and perky as ever. Rainbow Dash shook her head, not certain if her friend was just being over dramatic a minute ago, or if instant recovery was just the consistent response whenever you asked Pinkie Pie if she was alright.

"Okay then, so Scootaloo still can't fly. That really sucks, but I'm not sure why you're telling me."

"Well, Spike said that Fluttershy said that you once taught a whole class of foals to fly! And you're the only one that could teach her the skills she'd need to win the Fledgling Flier Contest!"

"What? Oh no. No way, no how Pinkie Pie! Not this Pegasus. End of discussion. Apparently they didn't tell you the whole story. I got in a huge load of trouble for that. Besides, I'm sure Cheerilee has a perfectly good tutor for flight studies at the school."

* * *

Meanwhile at the Schoolyard

"Now go in circles and circles and circles and circles and-" An adorable Cross-eyed, gray furred pegasus was chasing her blonde tail. The class of pegasus foals around her were stumbling around and dizzily falling over. Many lay around the ground, feet up, with their eyes spinning round and round.

An on-looking Cheerilee was holding her hooves over her eyes, weeping for her fallen students, and unable to watch the horror unfolding before her.

Back Outside Rainbow Dash's Cloud House

* * *

"Look Pinkie Pie, I wasn't just banned from flight camp after that stunt, there wasn't a single flight school that'd let me join up!" Dash shook her head as she spoke again after a pause, "I ended up a drop out. I was never even _allowed_ to finish after that."

"Pfft, what do flight schools know anyway? You're the fastest, bestest, most awesomest flier in all of Equestria! You didn't need a school to tell you that."

"All very true." Rainbow Dash chuckled and nodded with pride with each note of encouragement. "But I'm sorry, I really can't do it, alright? Please don't ask why, it just puts me in a bad mood, and I've got enough reason to be gloomy with this whole suspension thing as it is."

"But she _Pinkie_ promised Dashie!"

"Look, I'm sorry but I can't help ya out this time!" The rainbow maned pony put her hoof down before zipping into the sky angrily.

Pinkie just sat on her rump staring off at the retreating figure. She had never before seen Rainbow Dash say no to anything flying related or to a friend that really needed her help. Pinkie Pie knew a lot about friendship, she was friends with every single pony in town after all! And all her instincts gained from those many friendships told her that she just crossed a line Rainbow Dash had been carefully hiding for a long time.

Maybe the very line her friends were looking for to get her to stick around. Every pony knew Rainbow Dash had a difficult time admitting when she needed help. And there was another friend Pinkie Pie knew had issues with the exact same problem. She stood to go, deciding she'd need Applejack on this right away. There was no choice. Rainbow Dash really was the only pony able to get Scootaloo the skills she'd need to keep her promise.

Above all, the promise had to be kept.

* * *

Two friends talked and walked through the cool shade of several hundred apple trees, ahead of one floated a book, embraced by magic as it flipped back and forth through its own pages constantly. They stood on a hill overlooking the whole of the Sweet Apple Acres farmland. Apples shimmered in the sunlight while the birds seemed to sing a practiced chorus that spoke of nature and all it had to offer. An old farmhouse stood off in the distance, leaving it a sight that would take the breath away of any country born homesick pony. It was a most miraculous scene set for them by some grand design, but familiarity breeds disregard, and the scenery went ignored as the two focused their conversation on material gains.

"Well from what I can tell your fields are worked perfectly by the 'Earth Pony's Guide to Apple Orchards."

"'Course it is Twilight, it was mah Grand Pappy that went and wrote that there book o' yours." Applejack rolled her eyes unimpressed. So far this whole field management idea of Twilight's had gotten them nowhere. This was the Apple Family after all. There was no better apple buckers anywhere this side of Canterlot.

"The only thing that this guide doesn't take into account is magical assistance."

"Hold it right there, Sugarcube. We can't be dependin' on no magic. There ain't no way tah know if we're gonna have a friend with all the talent yah got for the generations tah come after us, so magic ain't gonna be much good in the long run anyway."

"You have a point, except that in the long run your farm is already doing well, what you need is a short term fix. We can see if we can look into some enchanted farm tools to help speed things up for the harvesting season. Oh! Better yet, Fluttershy doesn't use magic, but she still might be able to talk the insects out of your farm for the next couple years, and that would help your harvest to reach its full potential!"

"Hey now! That's some bright thinkin' Twilight. We can ask her 'bout it soon as we're done lookin' around."

"It should really maximize your productivity, yet I can't help but notice there's one side of farming the guide doesn't make any mention of."

"Are ya sure?" Applejack frowned at the open pages of the book as Twilight flipped through it rapidly. She wasn't able to catch even a glimpse of a word, though; Twilight had skimming through books down to an art form and the farm pony had no chance to keep up. "Grand Pappy was awful proud o' that book o' his. It wouldn'ta been like him tah leave anything out."

"That's because this book is completely about growing apples, Applejack. It doesn't mention anything about selling them."

"Oh right." The farm pony chuckled. "That's cause there ain't nuthin' to it! There ain't a pony in all Equestria that don't like apples. Selling 'em is easy as pie."

"I imagine 'literally' so." Twilight smiled at the pun and went on to explain the missing side to the guide. "But what I'm talking about isn't as easy as just bartering the apples away, Applejack. You need to get the right prices per bushel, and sell enough bushels per day. It has to cover all the expenses of the farm, the labour, the tools and tool maintenance, the seeding for the next year, and dozens of other things that I have no idea about."

"That sounds more like mah brother's area. He does most o' the fancy numbers on the farm, s'why he's the one that found out the farm was goin' under. Granny Smith used tah help, but her eyes ain't so great no more."

"He does it all himself? I wonder if he missed a few things… I could come up with a checklist of every expense on the farm and hand it over to Rarity for you, I think that would be the best way to help."

"Ah'd appreciate it alot, thanks."

"Hi!" The startling and random cheerful greeting from behind a tree had the two friends leaping several feet in the air in a fright.

"Pinkie Pie?! Jus' how long 'ave ya been there?!"

"Just now silly filly. That's why I said 'Hi' right now. If I was here a few minutes ago I would have said 'Hi' then, but that would mean I wouldn't have talked to Rainbow Dash, and I wouldn't have needed to find Applejack and say 'Hi' at all."

"Oh, that's good then." Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't bother to try to understand the logic behind the words. That kinda thing is best left alone, it was enough to know she just arrived and didn't hear about the farm trouble; the less ponies that knew about it, the better, after all.

"Wait, yer lookin' fer me?"

"Yup yup yup! I need you to talk to Rainbow Dash. Could you pleeeeease, Applejack? A Pinkie Promise hangs in the balance!"

"Hold on Sugarcube, talk to Rainbow Dash 'bout what and what promise?"

"Scootaloo made a Pinkie promise she'd win the Fledgling Flier Competition, but she hasn't learned to fly even a little bit! So I asked Rainbow Dash to teach her, but she said no and flew off, and that's cause I think I said something that she feels bad about when it comes to teaching fillies. I think you're the best one that can help her!"

"Teachin li'l Scoot tah fly? Well shoot, that might be just what that dreary pegasus needs tah occupy her time durin' this whole nasty weather business. Why sure, Ah'll have a word with her about it."

"Hey that's actually a really good idea Pinkie; I wonder if she could give a few tips to Spike while she's at it."

"Now don't count yer chicks before they hatch, Twilight. Ah'll ask her about it, but from the sounds of it, she's got a problem with the idea, else Pinkie Pie wouldn't be here."

"Yup! She mentioned something about being a Flight School drop out and took right off, but she _has_ to do it Applejack, she just has to!"

* * *

"Hey Rainbow Dash! You up there, Sugarcube?" A freckled orange farm pony called up to a random cloud in the sky. It wasn't a cloud that stood out any at all to most ponies, but Applejack learned long ago that Dash kept a few clouds hanging around in certain spots for a private snooze in the sky. It was otherwise a clear day, and this little white ball of fluff was obvious to any friend that knew what to look for.

"No." The reply was about what she was expecting. This particular pegasus was cranky waking up in the best of days, and considering the events that transpired the day before, today was far from the best of days.

"Come on now, don't make me lasso you down here. We're all a bit worried for yah and Ah went and volunteered to talk to yah about these troubles that gotcha down."

"You couldn't catch me anyway." the voice from the cloud replied with the addition of a crudely blown raspberry in Applejack's general direction. Applejack made a disgusted face and backed off from the small shower of 'rain' that this vehement, little cloud spouted.

"I hope the Wonderbolts don't fly by and see _this_ scene." The farm pony smiled slyly, knowing all too well what buttons to push. It had the effect she was hoping for and the grumpy cyan pegasus looked over the edge of the cloud, still looking fairly cranky, but at least she was talking face to face. "What do you want?"

"Jus' come on down 'ere, so we can chat a bit, that's all. Somethin's eatin' yah up about all this and Ah think its more than yer lettin' on."

"I don't want to talk about it, I'll just get angry, alright?!"

"Sugarcube, Ah hate tah break this to yah, but yer already all riled up, Ah figure clearin' the air will do yah a lot better than bottlin' it all up in there."

"… I guess you have a point. I don't think this could get much worst than it is." She hopped down from the cloud. "There, I'm down. Happy?"

"Bit more'n Ah was havin' to shout the whole time. Come on lets walk a bit and you can get all this out in tah the open."

"I still don't see what's so hard to understand. I started a thunderstorm, it annoyed a bunch of ponies, and I got canned."

"Yer not fired, yer just in a bit o' trouble. It happens to everypony now an' again. Ponyville's weather team ain't ever gonna give yah up. They love yah up there."

"That's half what I'm afraid of…" Rainbow Dash muttered. "I don't want to _be_ a weather pony all my life Applejack! I'm trying out for the Wonderbolts, remember?"

"Well yeah, but what's that gotta do with this?"

"The Wonderbolts don't let just anypony join up, a pony has gotta have the goods, the guts, and the glory! I'm a great flier. The sonic rainboom proved that to everypony but it ain't enough! You gotta weigh the good and the bad, and my stats aren't looking that great."

"Now that there's just nonsense and nuthin' but yer nerves gettin' the best o' yah, Ah'm sure. Yer the best darned flyer in Equestria and everypony that knows flyin' knows it, and yer the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. What more could possibly matter to the Wonderbolts?"

"I only wish it was that easy. Look Applejack, it takes more than being good with a pair of wings to get recruited by the Wonderbolts. You gotta be able to show your stuff constantly, pegasi everywhere race on a weekly basis for that honour, and I manage to get into maybe one or two contests a year at best."

"Well then, why not just race more? Ah'm sure yah'd leave 'em eatin' yer dust."

"That's where the hard part comes in! I enter all the competitions I can, but there's only one or two a year that are open to all challengers. All the official races need the official papers to enter them. Because I never got affiliated with a school, I don't have those papers. Those prestigious schools hold a ton of sway with the racing committees and they sponsor all the racers! I miffed a lot of important ponies when I humiliated that arrogant, old mule of a coach when I was a filly.

I only started to gain a decent rep back after revealing my trademark move. If I'm ever gonna have a chance at joining the Wonderbolts, I gotta keep that rep clean, and this strike on my record as the weather team captain just tore up all the time I've spent being one! I can't mention it on any official form now without those nitpicking committee members pointing at it and shouting how it proves I don't got what it takes. I really messed up this time Applejack… I lost years of work towards their good graces…"

"Ah see…"

The two friends walked in silence as Applejack chewed this news over in her mind. She'd never really paid attention to pegasus races, few in Ponyville did, it being mostly an earth pony village. The inner workings of how the races were put together had always been a mystery to her. As they continued to walk on quietly they moved on towards some old farm roads, long abandoned due to the drying up of an old well they once used for water supply back during Ponyville's first founding. It was also in this area that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had their old clubhouse, and had practiced much of their crusades out of public eye. An idea began to grow in her mind of the destination this walk should take them to. Applejack started to subtly steer them towards her old clubhouse, half expecting what they would find.

"So when Pinkie Pie asked yah to look after Scootaloo this afternoon, why did yah say no?"

Rainbow Dash was startled at the sudden break in their comfortable silence, and looked up as Applejack continued her question.

"It seems tah me that'd improve your standings with those committee-types, wouldn't it?"

"It would for most pegasi, but teaching foals to fly better than the school coaches is what got me into this trouble to begin with. I think it would be a huge glaring reminder to the Racing Committee about something I've been working to make them forget about for years."

"That's a real shame. Twilight was lookin' to get yer advice with teachin' Spike some moves, too."

"Spike? That probably wouldn't be too hard. Did you see the way the dragons flew during the migration? Lummox with wings came to mind. Go straight, and weave a turn or two. It was kind of boring, really."

Applejack just raised an eyebrow at this, remembering the event rather vividly, as the last time this same gloat was made they were all nearly roasted alive. Rainbow Dash coughed a bit as it dawned on her what scene played back in her friend's mind.

"Okay, the fire breath thing was pretty fearsome, I admit. That doesn't change the fact that they didn't show a single decent trick."

"Well then you'd be perfect tah teach the fella then, wouldn't ya? Yah could spice things up for him, teach 'im some moves so he can put the whole lot of 'em to shame if'n he ever has to deal with 'em again."

"Well, I suppose I could. I don't think the Committee will care two wits if I show a dragon the ropes."

"So its just gonna be Scoot left out again?" Applejack shook her head with a sigh. "I really wish better for that filly. She seems tah get the short end o' the stick wherever she turns, don't she?"

"I'm not following."

"Its just that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are her best friends but they both got their cutie marks a good bit ago. They still get together when they can but they're often off doin' other things tah hone their talents. We can hardly shoo mah li'l sis away from any plans for new barns and fences we think tah put up, and she's even been goin' over tah the mayor's tah talk all 'bout them new ideas for a more stable town hall. Sweetie Belle is practicing with Fluttershy an' that bird choir of hers from what I hear. Whenever her two friends are off at their callin' Ah tend tah wonder what it is Scoots gets up tah all on 'er lonesome."

"Okay, that really blows. Big time. But it's not that I want it this way, you know? I think it'd be pretty cool to teach Ponyville's foals to fly as awesome as I do. It sounds great, but I might be giving up my best shot at my dream to do it. I guess that seems pretty selfish when I say it out loud, but its my dream, Applejack, and I've been chasing after it my whole life!"

"Yah know…Ah had a dream once. It was about goin' tah the big city and bein' a right 'n proper mare like Rarity's sort. Ah never went through with it all the way though, and Ah think Ah'm a good bit happier than that pony woulda turned out. Way Ah see it, you just might be happier followin' yer heart over yer dream, too."

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, "Last time that happened I embarrassed my coach, got kicked outta school, got all my friends in trouble, had to leave home just to continue flight training, and lost my best chance at the Wonderbolts. It didn't do me or anypony a whole lot of good Applejack."

"Well… Ah like to think it did. If yah didn't stand up to that nasty ol' coach, there's a whole class of foals that wouldn't be as good flyin' as they are today, yah'd probably never have left Cloudsdale, and Ah'd be sorely missin' ever meetin' up with a very good friend of mine. Ah'm proud of what yah did for those foals, jus' like we all are. Ah think standin' tall fer what yah think is right, no matter who puts yah down for it, is what Ah always most admired 'bout yah. Even when it's me yer standin' up tah like back in Appleloosa."

"HUh, guess I never thought about it like that before..."

"Ah ain't surprised none. That decision cost yah the biggest dream yah ever had fer yerself. Its hard tah step back and see the big picture when yah got that dark ol' cloud hangin' over the issue."

"So… you really see me like that? A pony standing against the system?" She had to admit, the thought was appealing.

"You bet Ah do." Applejack nodded, and pointed a hoof insistently at her friend's chest. "Ah think it's something _you_ respect 'bout yerself, too. If'n bein' a Wonderbolt means changin' something yah love 'bout you, yer gonna have to decide what's more important... bein' a Wonderbolt or bein' yerself?"

"But I-"

Rainbow Dash's response was cut short as a sudden, terrified shout sounded out over the next hill. Her reaction was instantaneous. The speedster was already in the sky. Applejack raced after her but without wings she was left in her friend's dust cloud.

Over the hill an orange filly was falling towards several bushes and trees that were looking particularly over-loaded with tree sap when in a flash a streak of colours clouded her vision. Her course changed as she found herself being pulled away from her sticky fate. Trees were whipping by faster than anything she'd ever seen before, as fast as she was on her scooter, it couldn't compare to the speeds she travelled at now! Dodging trees, bushes, and animals with less than a second's notice! And then the world spun and gravity shifted as they broke through an empty space among the branches and high into the sky. She was finally set down on a cloud not too far up, and Scootaloo got her first good look at her saviour, though she had known immediately who it was.

"That was totally amazing!" she cheered, prancing excitedly on the cloud. "One second I'm plummeting towards another dose of tree sap, and the next we're doing a triple axle barrel roll past trees in a split-second, side stepping branches, and then launching straight up into the sky! Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Yeah, I am pretty awesome." Her idol took a moment to acknowledge her own worth. "But you want to tell me what possessed you to jump off a makeshift diving board from the roof of your clubhouse? You do know head trauma isn't going to help you into the sky, right?"

"Yeah I know." The filly scratched her foreleg nervously, not meeting her idol's eyes. "I was just thinking with a high enough starting point I could try to stay in the air longer. A wall got in my way last time I tried, so I wanted to give it a try like this.

"Trees work much the same way walls do when it comes to flying." Rainbow Dash put hoof to face. "Besides that eye doesn't look like it's helping you much. Depth perception is pretty important to any flier, and that's one heck of a shiner you're carrying around. You can't learn to fly while injured, and these little stunts of yours are going to leave you more broken than Ponyville after Spike's birthday bash."

"Well I can't learn to fly by doing nothing either," Scootaloo muttered. "I gotta keep trying to have any chance at all. The textbooks said you learn to glide off a high point first."

"That's textbook alright, for Cloudsdale. You're not a Cloudsdale pony, so you shouldn't try learning the same way as one. You don't get to crash safely on a ball of fluff like they do, which means before you learn to fly you have to learn how to land. That way you'll still have enough left of you to learn how to fly the next day. "

"Learn to land?" Scootaloo gave her a confused look. "How can a pony learn to land before they learn how to fly?"

"Tell you what, I'll show you how once you have two good eyes that can see straight, but only if you still got all your parts in working order. Deal?"

"What? Really?! You're really gonna teach me how to fly?!"

"I am?" Rainbow Dash blinked, and suddenly realized what her mouth just got herself into. She paused and looked quickly down to a hilltop where a certain farm pony gave a her a wide smile and a short nod before turning to walk the forest path to her home.

Be a Wonderbolt or be herself? That was a question she never had to ask before, maybe it was one she hoped she never would have to ask. She had always thought the two were one and the same. But then, maybe they still were? Scootaloo really did need help into the sky, and she wanted to be there to help. Maybe a Racing Committee member might not want her to, but her dream wasn't to be a Racing Committee member.

Her dream was to be a Wonderbolt.

Helping a filly to fly was just the sort of thing Wonderbolts did! It's what inspired her to go against that coach in the first place. What was the point of everything she went through back then if she was just going to let them get to her now?"

"Yeah!" She gave Scootaloo a determined grin and ruffled her mane, leaving the filly with a smile so bright that she swore it outshined the sun, a smile that left Rainbow Dash questioning how she could have given any other answer. She would be a Wonderbolt, but she was going to get there _her _way.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

* * *

Twilight sat in the middle of the library, a pinkish hue surrounded her horn as she slowly molded her will over the hundreds of books that were hovered this way and that, all enveloped by the same luminescent tint of her horn. They moved hauntingly from one shelf to another, each finding their appropriate place according to the checklist that floated at the mystical mare's hooves. Ever so slowly her magical influence began to pick up the broom, the mop and bucket, as well as several feather dusters. The dishes in the sink began to clean themselves with a sponge within the sudsy water. Each piece began to rhythmically sway back and forth, performing its most natural chore on its own. Each item danced to the tune that played inside her head.

There was so much to do today it was going to be difficult to keep up. Assisting Applejack with going over details of the farm was going to be a huge job requiring weeks, maybe even months of research. Assisting Rarity's gem supply was no small feat either. On top of that she had to open her big mouth and give her number one assistant time to practice flying, so it was all on top of extra work with the library! That's not even mentioning the obvious rigid study routine she couldn't back off on!

Her only choice was to try to combine one with another. Right now was her attempt to study the effect of object manipulation by testing her skill at library reorganization. The book said it worked best with duties the magic user was familiar with, so this was the best choice. To her surprise everything had been flowing splendidly.

"Twilight! Is Spike home?!"

The sudden, loud interruption sent her thoughts reeling from her task, and the cleaning tools dropped to the floor. Twilight barely caught the books in time before they joined them, her eyes whipping from side to side to make sure each and every book was caught precariously in place. They were still in order, but no longer moving, instead they simply hung in the air by her tenuous magical grip.

"Woah..." The interrupting intruder said in a hushed tone as she stared up in awe at the hundreds of books hovering just over her head. "That is so awesome."

"Hold on! Hold on!" Twilight said between clenched teeth before the books all straightened back up and began sorting themselves back into place. She relaxed with a long sigh. "Whew! That was a close one. Rainbow Dash, how can I help you? If it's about the mayor, I'm afraid I haven't gotten around to talking to her yet today."

"Yeah, about that, I wanted to tell you not to worry about it. I kinda lost it earlier. The whole situation hit me pretty hard, and I'd appreciate it if you could forgive and forget?"

"Are you sure? I mean, maybe you did over react a little bit, but you had plenty of reason to. I really don't mind talking to her about it; I still think three months is way too steep."

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow and waited in silent response.

"Okay, I admit, I probably overreacted a bit myself about the storm." Twilight laughed a bit, soon feeling happier about it after her friend's laughter joined hers.

"Yeah, maybe we all did, but I mean it. I did the deed, so I'll serve the time. The storm was my responsibility, and I should have done it right. Besides I'm going to need the extra time."

"Are you still going to Cloudsdale?"

"Not yet, I wanted to ask you to hold off on sending those letters home, I have something I need to finish here first I think."

"Oh? Here I was trying to wrap my brain around anything that would change your mind and you found something for me?"

"Going home isn't completely out of the picture yet, but I got a couple of students to teach the way of the wing. One of them lives here from what I hear."

"You mean you're really going to do it? Oh Dash, that's great news! I'm sure Spike will be thrilled. He's studying a couple books on flight right now."

"Really Twilight? You can't bookworm your way through learning to fly, a pegasus needs to hear the rush in her ears and feel it in her soul!"

"Yeah, well that's just the thing. Spike isn't a pegasus, remember? He's probably not going to fly like one. If you're really sure about trying to teach him, you may just find some bookwork beneficial to your lesson plans. We already gathered some reading material for him, if you'd like I can get you some copies."

"Yeeeeah, no. That's alright. I'm still not the checklist kind of pony. I just wanted to talk to him about it. I'm going to get some materials together this week, and have things ready to go for the beginning of next. I just came over cause I need to get his height and weight for what I had in mind."

"Well, you are the expert. I'll leave it in your capable hooves. He's just upstairs, and will probably be glad of the interruption."

"Thanks. Hey Spike!" Rainbow Dash called up the stairs before trotting up them.

Upstairs, Spike was lying on his back when he heard the call, a small pile of books lay half open and scattered around at his side, one book was in claw as he was skimming through the pages, not really reading any part of it in depth. He couldn't say it wasn't interesting, something about all of it rubbed him the right way after you got around the math. It was at least way more interesting than Twilight's magic studies, if only because this somewhat pertained to him.

While he was sure it would grab his attention at some point, right now his mind was several hundred miles away rolling towards Canterlot. The interruption from his wandering thoughts between studies that refused to sink in was a welcome one. He looked up with interest at his visitor. It was fairly rare anypony came looking for him.

"Hey Dash," He rolled over onto his stomach to face her. "What can I help you with?"

"Oh, I thought I'd come by and just give you this one time offer of flight tutoring by the most _awesome_ flier around!"

This caused the young dragon to bolt upright.

"Seriously? A-a-and Twilight knows about this? I don't have to study How-to-Fly books first?"

"If you want to, I won't stop you..." She trotted over to put her hoof on the book he was currently thumbing through, and next he knew it was sailing through the window. "But that is probably the most flight experience that book is ever going to get! If you're serious about putting those wings of yours to use, I'll show you how."

"Maybe I should go get that... Twilight's going to be miffed." Spike quickly moved to the window sill and looked over at the book below.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash grabbed his chin and stared him right in the eye, "Forget Twilight right now, I'm saying you need to be serious about this, and I want an answer!"

"I guess?"

"Really? I'm going for some kind enthusiasm from you here Spike, and not the kind that comes from 'I don't have to do homework', though I suppose I can appreciate that particular kind."

"Sorry Dash." He frowned continuing to eye the book on the street from the corner of his vision before pushing her gently out of his personal space and making his way back to the pile of books. He began to sullenly clean and organize them by their proper codex. "This whole thing was Twilight's idea. I'm just an assistant librarian, so flying isn't exactly a priority for me. What would I even do with it?"

"I can't believe I just heard a creature with wings utter that sentence. Even Fluttershy at her worst still wanted to learn to fly!"

"Well you tell me then, because I couldn't care less!" The words came out with a growl as his body whipped around reflexively, it happened in an instant, his movements as fast as a snake strike. He glared the pegasus down, his ire rising, as his breathing grew fast, his hearing dulled by the blood pumping through his ears. The immense amount of anger he felt sent fear cascading off his body and flooding Rainbow Dash's every instinct. The scent of smoke and a small sensation of burning enveloped the area around them.

The sudden change in her old friend left her stuttering for words, her blood running cold, and her body paralyzed in dread. They stared at each other in silent uncertainty. Like a predator watching its prey for any sign of movement. The two were held still in this awful atmosphere for only a few moments before Spike's eyes went wide and he suddenly came back to himself. She could hear a catch in his breath, and then he looked at his claws almost as spooked as she was. He quickly put his claws over his eyes and his chin on the floor before her. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to come out like that it's just... I don't even know!"

As soon as Spike broke eye contact, Rainbow Dash had already collected herself. She squinted up her eyes taking Spike in from a whole new perspective.

"What just happened?" she questioned herself as much as him.

"I just said, I don't know! That's never happened before, I'm not even angry. I didn't mean to snap at you, I just... I guess, it affected me more than I thought it would."

"Well, you better tell me whatever _it_ was, so I can remind myself not to do it again!" She smiled while she said it somewhat jokingly, it actually seemed kind of funny now that the moment had passed. She had no idea what just happened, but Rainbow Dash stared death defying stunts in the face everyday and _never_ backed down, if you could get a scare out of her, you could do it to any pony alive!"

"It was just something I found out from Rarity this morning, and it really has nothing to do with you. I don't know why this even happened, I'm really sorry!" Spike didn't move from his position, and she frowned noticing that while she had stopped, he was still trembling. She realized he must now be a lot more scared about what just happened than she was.

"Hey big guy, it's alright." She put a hoof on one of his claws and pried it off his eye, before leaning down to peek at him so he couldn't look away. "I'm not mad, I'm kinda impressed really. I don't scare easy, but you gave me goosebumps!"

"But I don't want to scare ponies!"

"Come on Spike, it isn't that big a deal. You're just having a rough stretch right now. Everypony has problems they need to vent once in awhile. Believe me, I know. I also learned it helps to stop hiding them. So what is it those pretty eyes told you that sent you off like that?"

"I can't really say, she asked me not to. She's saving it as some big announcement." He let out a disappointed sigh at the thought that he might have to try to _celebrate_ her leaving. There were tears fighting to flood the banks of his eyes, and the wetness in them did not go unnoticed by a concerned friend.

"She wouldn't have told you to if she knew this would happen, so spill it! I promise I won't tell any other pony. Purely your ears and mine, Pinkie promise, even." Rainbow Dash quickly made the motions of the most sacred promise.

"Well..." He sniffed, closing his eyes to better fight off the oncoming tears. "It's just that...she's moving... She's going to open a new store in Canterlot soon. It's her dream come true, and that's the worst part! I should be happy, right? I was this afternoon, but she's leaving... She's leaving... us."

Rainbow Dash smirked. That 'us' was totally tacked on in the last second. Was he still trying to keep his crush a secret? Was there any point? She felt her eyes soften all the same, understanding flowed right through her. The love of his entire life as he knew it was leaving him behind. She had crushes before, but none that lasted half as long as Spike's continued loyalty to Rarity. And she knew too well the sting a goodbye could leave on a pony's heart. The day she left Cloudsdale still rang clear in her mind. So many good friends she left behind there, so many wanting her to stay, so many knowing she had to go to follow her dream. Those were some of the toughest weeks of her life. But then, Spike wasn't in the same predicament she was in, was he?

She looked up at the ceiling in thought. The answer was easy. It was her favourite answer for everything after all. The question was tougher, how to put it in words that wouldn't give away the obviousness of his crush and still let him know what he could do? Well, she'd do what she did best and wing it.

"Leaving us all behind, eh? That's really going to suck for us, alright." She nodded her head in agreement. "But you're right, she is following her dream and that sure isn't easy to pull off. I know that one better than most. How about you Spike, what's your dream?"

"My dream?"

"Yeah, everypony has one. You can't be an assistant librarian all your life, after all. You're a dragon, you won't even fit in most libraries someday!"

"I... I never thought about it. I just always wanted to be Twilight's assistant."

"That's just too lame. You need your own dream, not Twilight's, and not Rarity's. That's definitely something you might want to put some thought into. I'm sure it'll be absolutely awesome once you figure it out. Rarity would probably love hearing about it too."

"You think she would? I mean, it'd be something to at least write each other about. I don't have much to keep in touch with her with."

"Or you can just let me tell her for you since I'll be in Canterlot every other week or so." She turned to face the window, staring up at the sky, a cunning smirk cut across her face as her eyes turned towards the movement behind her. He was taking the bait.

"You're going to be in Canterlot that much?"

"Well Duu~uh. One of my best friends is going to be _livin_g there. Why wouldn't I just fly over every now and again? It takes maybe two hours by air, I could do that in my sleep." She turned with her eyes closed and waved a hoof dismissively.

Spike blinked.

Of course!

"Flying! I could just go fly and visit her!" Rainbow Dash was suddenly swept off her hooves and wrapped in a hug all with the same reaction speed he used to scare the heck out of her not a few minutes earlier. She began laughing as it sunk in through the dragon's thick skull. Bait taken, dragon was hooked.

"You could really teach me, right?" Spike set her down and stared at her with eyes full of hope.

"Well, only if you're serious about it." She looked up smiling slyly.

"I'll be serious! I'll be serious! I'll be the most serious dragon you ever seen!"

"I don't kno~ooow..." Rainbow Dash smiled teasingly, as she raised a hoof to her chin and looked away pretending to think about it. "I've seen some pretty serious dragons."

"Please! Please! Please! Please! Pleeeeeeeeease! I'll study, and train hard, and I'll bring snacks, and water, and - and Gah!" Spike was on his knees pleading desperately as he tried to offer whatever else came to mind, "Anything else you want! Just teach me to fly! Please!"

"Now that's more like it. It won't be easy though. Not just anypony is allowed to fly solo between cities. Flight Control prefers we fly in groups in case something happens during the trip. If you really want to go visit her whenever you want, you'll need one of these babies." Rainbow Dash drew out a small, gleaming gold-coloured card.

'Professional Flight Specialist', stood out in bold lettering along the top. Below the title, the card labelled the owner as a fully trained stunt pegasus, fully licensed for all manner of dangerous flight conditions and terrain. Beside the fine print was a picture of a much younger looking pegasus with a rainbow coloured mohawk.

"You look absolutely ridiculous!" Spike began laughing so hard he nearly fell over and had to hang on to the bedpost to steady himself.

"Hey, shut up! I was just trying something a little wild! Like you're one to talk, baldy!" She quickly put her licence away, trying to hide a chuckle herself. The picture never failed to get a laugh.

"The point is you have to at least qualify as a participant for an official competition to get a professional level licence. Now, it just so happens that one such event is coming up this fall. The thing is you'll need to know better than just how to fly to qualify. You'll need to know how to fly with style! Think you got what it takes to pull it off?"

"You bet I can!"

"Great! First lesson is next week at Old Lake. Be there bright and early by sunrise. And don't you dare show up late! You and Scootaloo are about to have the hardest couple of months you'll ever have. But if you two can pull it off, there won't be a thing life can throw at you that you won't be able to handle. I can give you my personal guarantee on that one!"

"What? We're going to be there _all_ day? I can't do that! Twilight needs me!"

"Most ponies train their whole lives for these events Spike, you've got three months to catch up and surpass them. I'll deal with Twilight Sparkle. You just show up when I tell you to."

Downstairs a purple unicorn held a slightly dirty How-to-Fly Training Manual in her hooves as she leaned against the stairwell listening in. She was biting her bottom lip to stop from squealing in delight at the happenings above her. There were secrets being shared there though, so she held herself back. Some things were meant to stay between two friends, and as a caretaker, there were times she had to take a step back and just let it happen. The dragon migration was one of those times, this just happened to be another. She looked at the library around her with renewed vigor. So what if it was a lot to do? Her friends were worth the effort, and Spike was her oldest and closest. She had to at least try. At least long enough to get these support spells down.

Rainbow Dash was right, Spike couldn't be her assistant forever. That meant it was time she learned how to do this on her own.


	4. Chapter 4: Spreading Wings

Chapter 4

Spreading Wings

Rays of light flowed over the waves of Old Lake, distorting and dispersing in the rippling water. The little sunbeams played upon its surface, skating and scattering with the crest of each wave. Every small breeze on the water sent a twinkling of sunshine into a careening caper of disorder and dance to the fish below. Frogs and crickets chirped at the water's edges, hiding amidst the reeds. A sandy beach skirted the lakeshore and a wide field of grass met the sand at its edge. A few wild rabbits and field mice dotted the area, going undisturbed in their daily morning routines. Birds called from overhanging branches in the tall trees overlooking it all. An abundance of peace and serenity emanated from the scenic setting.

"Fledglings! Front and Center!" And thus all signs of tranquility was broken utterly by the sudden shout of a vibrant coloured pegasus who landed hard on the ground after a rocketing flight. The dust from the landing cleared, revealing Rainbow Dash standing tall and proud loudly calling for her students.

Orange and purple blurs appeared in a flash in answer to the call. Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow and nodded approvingly at their quick response. Fast and attentive, just the way she liked them. She wasn't one for tradition, but razzing recruits was always fair game in her book. More than that, the first day was the most important for setting rookies up for what to expect. Start strong and work hard, and that's what they'll expect to do the next day and the day after.

"Report!"

"Scootaloo present!" The young orange pegasus said with a quick salute, looking like the perfect flight school student. Rainbow Dash held back a chuckle trying not to be impressed. Scootaloo must have been looking into Flight School general procedure, because the way she held herself was all too familiar.

"I'm here too!" Spike panted out. He'd barely made it to the field on time, even after running the whole way.

"Spike, what the heck were you doing last night? I told you to rest up before we started today!"

"Yeah sorry, I had... something that 'really' needed doing. Don't worry." He yawned and blinked heavily. "Keep going, I'll keep up Dash, I promise."

"Captain." She corrected with a frown. "While we're at flight camp, I am your Team Captain. I will be responsible for your every injury, your every weakness, your every strength, and your every ounce of exhaustion and pain. By the day's end I can assure you there will be a lot of those last two. There will be no coming in tired, if you do it again, stay home. You'll be tired enough by the end of our training days without having full time jobs on the side. Twilight is just going to have to find another assistant to take over for awhile. Scootaloo, how's that eye?"

"Seeing straight Captain!" She stood rigidly still, but Rainbow Dash could tell she was almost bursting at the seams with energy. She paused to inspect the mare's eye for herself all the same.

"Alright you two, I have three months to whip you both into shape! After that I'm back on the weather team, and I want you two fledglings to be able take your self-training from there."

Rainbow Dash began pacing back and forth in front of the two recruits, eyeing them up and down with every turn.

"You both have two completely different focuses in your training. Spike wants to be able to do solo long distance flight. He can't do that without a licence to fly, and he can't get that unless he can qualify for the Fledgling Flier Competition. Scootaloo wants to outright WIN the Fledgling Flier Competition. I'm here to somehow turn these two contrasting motives into a Flight Team worthy of competing. No Flight Team has ever tried taking in a flightless teen pony and train them to victory. No Flight Team had the guts to put a dragon into the sky, or will have to overcome the obstacles you two will have to overcome! No Flight Team has ever had to push themselves as hard as you _will_ have to, gain as much experience as you _will_ have to, or be trained as hard as I _will_ train you[a]! No Flight Team has ever only just started training three months before a competition and carried home the prize! Now I'm asking are you willing to be THAT team?!"

"Yeah!" Two eager voices erupted in a simultaneous cheer.

"Well, you got the enthusiasm so let's give you the know-how. First lesson! Landing! Learning to fly is full of falls. The purpose of landing is to make sure those bones stay in place down here no matter what happens up there. We don't have time for injuries, so we're going to make sure we get this right. It's going to take effort, it's going to take bruises, and it's going to take time."

"Uh... Captain?" Scootaloo raised a hoof, she knew she asked this before but her mentor never did give her a straight answer. "How can we practice landing before we learn to fly?"

"With this!" Rainbow Dash excitedly flew off to the middle of a tree not far away, unbound some branches she had tied together, and there, lying hidden beneath them was a strong looking black chord, a harness, and a sliding handlebar. Both students recognized the device immediately.

"Zip lining?!"

"That's right! I'm a genius aren't I? With this you can practice controlled landings without any flight experience or the use of clouds. Clouds won't be available to land on for Spike anyway. We'll start off at low angles, and the better you get the more I'll step it up. First up I'll show you how you want to look during a landing, then you get to try it out for yourselves."

"This is going to be so cool!" Scootaloo's eyes opened wide with delight.

"Am I supposed to land on my hands too? I'm bipedal you know." Spike was still not convinced.

"Spike, I have to tell you this now. Everything's going to be a bit different for you. When we were doing that whole migration thing I got to see a bunch of the dragons your age fly, and I gotta say, not impressed. Here you're going to have to land with some flair and style. They all seemed to come to a slow stop and hover straight down. I'm going to require you to keep on the move. For ponies that normally means pressing forwards and coming in at a bit of a trot. You should try a few different ways and see what works best for you, but I'm not letting you go out to that competition with any of that tap down rookie stuff."

"Well, I'll give it a shot, I guess..." Hesitance crept its way into his reply.

"I'll show him! I'll show him!" Scootaloo was already jumping at the bit, up the tree and holding the handle, ready to make the leap.

"Alright, give it a try, Squirt!" Dash called up to her, and waved her down. "Don't worry about a thing, if you lose your grip, I'll catch you looong before you hit turf."

Scootaloo didn't wait even a second before jumping off the low tree limb and beginning her slide. She was going so slowly at the low angle though, she couldn't help but want to push it along a bit. Where was a whisper in her ear, of what could be, of a rush of wind, and a ruffle through her feathers.

Her wings started buzzing behind her instinctively, forcing her to pick up speed along the rope. Rainbow Dash was shouting something, but she couldn't hear her over the sudden rush of wind in her ears and the sound of the handle against the cable. She began to bounce along the rope as she slid and then the sand was right there! Already at her hooves! She let go, but her torso moved much faster than her legs, leaving her with a face full of the local terrain, and her back hooves hanging over her head. It was in that position that she struggled to look up at the two that stood over her. One was holding in his laughter the other was looking nonplussed.

"Too fast?"

"Ya think?" Rainbow Dash remarked sarcastically, "Stand up and try it again. This time, I want to see your wings open the whole time. No flapping! You want to feel the wind pushing them back, practice edging your wings back and forth little by little until you get a good feel of how to position them to speed up and slow down along the line. Don't sit there like a slug on a log Spike, follow her!"

* * *

Days passed and the two cadets rode the line time and time again, adjusting their wings for their descent, soon able to slow down and speed up their decline on command by their ever observant Captain. Scootaloo didn't take long before she had her landings down pat. Spike on the other hand was still trying to deal with the excess forward momentum, needing to slow down far more than any pegasus to land upright. Still, the two were landing easily at 45 degree angles, and strangely enough the higher the incline climbed the better the dragon was able to control his landing. Or at least until a certain point, anything higher than 65 degrees sent either two of them sprawling to the ground, and spitting out sand, much to their Captain's amusement.

The end of each training day saw Rainbow Dash flying off into the clouds as fast as she had arrived that morning, and two very bruised and exhausted new friends trudging their way home through the overgrown path through Whitetail Woods. Scootaloo and Spike had always gotten along well in passing on the street, but one could never consider them more than acquaintances in a small town where every pony knew every pony.

In truth Scootaloo always looked up to Spike somewhat. His work as an assistant librarian was well known to every pony in town, and in spite of the usual stigma that comes along with bookworm types, Spike had managed to keep a fair amount of 'cool' factor to him. If she wanted some good ideas of new crusader missions, Spike always had something after a quick moment of thought. He was that guy that was too cool for school, never having to go, but he still probably knew more about every subject they learned than any of her classmates. His wisecracks could always keep a pony laughing, he was a dragon and that's awesome all on its own, and on top of that he was good friends with the coolest pony in Equestria!

If anything his maturity, full-time job, and hard working nature left her feeling pretty intimidated by him when she was younger. Hanging out with Spike would have been like hanging out with your older brother and his friends. You would feel cool doing it, but also feel awkward and out of place at his side.

At some point though, somewhere throughout several hard days of lessons, she grew more comfortable around him. She didn't have time to be tense around Spike with Rainbow Dash constantly on her about tilting her wings, and his easy-going nature made him more welcoming than the un-relatable mental image she conjured up of him earlier in her youth. It might have something to do with his constant mistakes and teasing he'd throw back at her idol. In all honesty she was really nervous about the training as a whole when it first started.

Rainbow Dash originally came from some prestigious flight school in Cloudsdale, they had a whole different sort of protocol up there. They were full of tradition and discipline, flight squads and formations, all forms of certain etiquette that were foreign to some small earth pony village. It left her rigid trying to copy from what she read.

Spike was having none of it though, he kept things casual between Captain and team and threw back what teasing he took from their Captain, dishing out as good as he got. The traditions were still there, but it was more personal, like respect between friends instead of the usual inferior to superior.

Riding the line in that context became closer to a competition Rainbow Dash was refereeing rather than some strict flight class at school. Turns out the young dragon was just as competitive as herself, and just as cocky after a win. It only spurred her on to try harder and entertained their coach that much more.

Their Captain said they made a lot of progress today, and the truth is, weariness and aching limbs aside, Scootaloo felt exhilarated! It was gratifying! Something she hadn't felt since... well she couldn't even remember the last time. She really felt like she was flying down that rope, and for once it didn't involve some form of crash or tree sap at the end. Just a whole lot of sand.

"So what was your favourite part so far?" Scootaloo interrupted her own reverie as she wondered out loud to her new teammate.

"It'd have to be the parts where I wasn't coughing up sand afterwards." He scrunched up his face as he continued to taste a few grains of it left in his mouth.

"I thought dragons ate rocks anyway."

"We eat gems, and jewels, and precious metals, not rocks!"

"So what? They have to be 'shiny' rocks before you eat them?"

"They have to be igneous rock, crystallized from magma, aged and grown with tender love and care! I mean, comparing a gem to regular old rocks is like... you confusing a zap apple with a pine cone."

"Okay yeah, that sounds... not as good." Scootaloo copied Spike's earlier look of distaste as she pictured eating a pine cone. "Well, my favourite part was when the wind caught my wings like that, I swear if I let go of the line I would have been flying, 'right' there!"

"You probably would have been gliding, if you could keep adjusting your wings with the lift. At least that's what I read. I think that's what she's building us up to, but I don't think she's done with the landing quite yet."

"Gliding? Really? We're already gliding?!"

"Well, theoretically anyway. I'm kind of worried what she has planned over the next week though, I mean we covered a lot on landing today, 65 degree angles are pretty steep! How much more do you think she'll want us to land at?"

"Well, she almost always lands straight down. What angle is that?"

"90 degree." Spike shuddered, "I hope we're not doing that! That's landing from complete freefall! Fluttershy said that's even faster than most pegasi fly!"

"Well... we are trying to win a competition here Spike."

"You're trying to win, I'm just trying to fly solo from city to city, to do that I need to be able to 'survive'. She doesn't even know if I even 'can' land like that!"

"What's a matter Spike, getting scaaaared?" Scootaloo taunted.

"What? No I'm not scared, I'm just... using cautious foresight." He sniffed.

"You'll be fine." Scootaloo laughingly pointed out, "Remember, Rainbow Dash, THE best flier in all Equestria, will be right on hand. She won't let anything happen to us."

"I guess..."

"Besides, I can't enter the competition alone, I gotta do this, and I'm depending on you to keep up on your end!"

"..." Spike felt himself go silent as he took a moment to think about that. Several days ago he didn't even want to fly, let alone be one of the best this year's new fliers had to offer.

"Hey Spike!" Scootaloo stopped him, sensing his hesitation. She put her hooves on his shoulders and looked him dead in the eye. "You said you had the guts to go all the way with this, right? You're not backing out on me now are you?"

"Of course not! I just..." He struggled trying to put his thought into word, "I never really considered stunt flying before, you know? I've never thought about any of this up until now. The whole idea is new to me, I have to get used to it."

"Well, you better get used to it soon." She let out a short 'hmph' and turned away to start down the path again at a quickened trot. "I gotta do this. It's my one big chance to prove I'm not some failure!"

"Did I miss something here? Hey hold on." Spike had to suddenly hurry to catch her with the change of pace. "Proving you're the best isn't the same as proving you're not a failure. You know that right?"

She paused mid-step and looked up past the tree cover and into the slowly darkening sky, her thoughts turned towards the escapades of the Cutie Mark Crusaders along with all the mayhem and celebrations that came with each crusade. All the lessons learned and friendships earned over the years played out in her mind. All those trials they contended with, all the courage it took to try every new thing that came to mind in pursuit of discovering their natural talents. After every time they had to stand up to put their next hoof forward to try again, doing the very best they could.

Everytime, without fail.

"If you're gonna do something... Aim for the top! Don't leave any regrets by not giving it everything you got."

Spike stopped with her and squinted as he followed her gaze, trying to see whatever it was that caught her attention. The last rays of a sinking sun streamed through tree leaves as a deep red sky began to darken into a dark blue backdrop as night fell, casting a cool shade over the two as they stood beneath the canopy of green vibrant plant life. Spike never did catch what it was she was looking at before she began moving again, even though he chose to stay behind and continue to look. Letting her go on ahead, he quietly stood staring up while mulling over what she said. He wasn't sure how it all pertained to him. He still wasn't sure how far he was willing to go with all of this. There was only one thing he was sure about, and he said it aloud to himself when she was long out of earshot.

"Scootaloo, that isn't something a failure would say."

* * *

Scootaloo continued to walk into town, only noticing Spike was missing from her side when she turned to say good bye where they'd normally part ways. She pondered the idea of going back to make sure he was alright, but decided against it. She was already late for meeting the others in the park and pretty confident Spike could handle the nature trail on his own. It was times like these she missed her recently broken scooter the most, she'd be there and back again if it was still intact. As it was everything felt like it was moving about as fast as cold molasses. This whole 'walking' thing didn't suit her, but Rainbow Dash hadn't been lying about the sore muscles and hooves they'd be walking away with. Galloping all the way to the town center was out of the question to her protesting limbs.

Her whole body ached, every step felt strained and stiff, and while she wasn't 'fall

into bed' tired, she was most certainly 'sit down and do nothing' tired. She was a half hour late by the time she caught up to Sweetie Belle and Applebloom who sat in the park giggling over

something. She waved half-heartedly as she trudged her way past the triangle of trees to

meet them.

"Scootaloo! Y'all never guess what Sweetie Belle got t'day!" Applebloom jumped up

and raced to meet her, apparently too excited to wait for Scootaloo to come to them.

"I dunno, what?" She offered a smile in greeting, too tired to offer much more than that.

"Horse feathers, Scoot, yah look like yah went and got in a tussle with some Everfree Forest critter." Applebloom said, forgetting instantly what she was talking about after observing the current state of her fellow crusader. Scootaloo looked at herself for the first time since the training day ended. She was never one to be concerned with appearance much, so she never paid much heed until some pony mentioned it. Dirt, scratches, and the certain discolouration of forming bruises dotted her sides and legs. She imagined her mane looked as dishevelled as the rest of her felt. The feathers in her wings were ruffled and many out of place. She sighed, opened her wings and preened them as well as she could for a few moments.

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash hasn't been going easy on us, and it doesn't look like she's going to calm it down any. It felt great though, we're doing really well! If you guys ever want to try zip lining again, I think I'm pretty much an expert now." Scoot replied around a mouthful of feathers before spitting the offending objects out with a sour look.

"Wow… well I guess we can't do any cutie mark crusading tonight with you looking like that." Sweetie Belle frowned as she took in her friend, bending over to lift up one ofnScootaloo's legs to inspect a particularly purple looking bruise.

"Yeah, I probably overdid it today." Scootaloo agreed with a sigh, forgetting the mess of her wings, and instead slumping down on her stomach on the grassy park field.

"Well that just ain't gonna do. We ain't got many chances left for crusadin' together for a whole 'nother year!"

"What?!" That caught Scootaloo's attention real fast.

"Its alright Applebloom. I mean look at her, she's dead tired. I don't want her to hurt herself. We can try to put something together for tomorrow, maybe we can just have a picnic today?"

"Hang on, what's all this about Sweetie Belle?"

"Sweetie Belle had a letter o' confirmation arrive t'day! Show her Sweetie!" Sweetie Belle quickly retrieved the envelope and held it up for Scootaloo to see. It had a broken seal, signed by some sort of studio Scootaloo never heard of. Of course, she was never really that big into music to know what studio had what singer. She assumed this had something to do with Sapphire Shores.

"It's certainly important looking, what's the letter say?"

"Just lots o' legal stuff mostly." Applebloom answered for Sweetie as she put the letter back into her saddlebag, "The important part is what it says at the end of it all."

"And that is?"

"It says Gemstone Studios is assigning me as Sapphire Shore's apprentice!" The young unicorn hopped with glee, finally answering for herself before Applebloom could.

"Wait, so its official now? You're the real deal?! That is so awesome! We gotta celebrate!"

"We sure do! We were just waitin' on yah tah show up. We were fixin' tah put together a crusade. Guess that's gonna have to wait til tomorrow with yah all messed up like that."

"Uh… how about Thursday?" Scootaloo proposed sheepishly. "Rainbow Dash said she can't train us every day, cause we need some time to let our bodies heal up. Thursday will be our first day off. Any other day I'm probably gonna end up just as messed up."

"Alright, Thursday works for me. Sweetie Belle?"

"Oh umm… yeah, Thursday is fine, but what should we do this evening then?"

"Yah said picnic earlier right? That sounds like a great idea tah me."

"Well Picnics mean treats, and treats mean…" Scootaloo grinned widely. "Sugarcube Corner!"

Her friends cheered in agreement before the trio made their way to small town's favourite hangout for delectable sweets.

Anypony that lived in Ponyville knew Mr. and Mrs. Cake's business had become far more than any simple pastry shop. You could see the married couple catering almost any event that found its way to the small town. Even during Princess Celestia's visits you would catch the two scurrying about in the back kitchen setting everything up just right or serving the throng of ponies. However, while their small town enterprise hosted most major events it was for their day to day services they were most widely known by the town's ponies.

The services had little to do with the treats they served and everything to do with the atmosphere they had developed for their little store. Somehow Sugarcube Corner had risen to become everypony's favourite rendezvous point, often becoming the axis the town seemed to revolve around. Friends would meet in its parlour at the beginning of the day, and later be found on their way back to the pastry shop before parting ways.

This happy little shop seemed to magically transform almost every stranger that came to town into a friend, managed to introduce them to more, and eventually turned friends in to family. It took a great deal of self-control, tolerance, and perseverance in order to build this bewitching feeling of friendship, and to do so Mr. and Mrs. Cake first had to learn how to harness the very power of chaos. Do not mistakenly think it was some demented god able to change the fabric of the material plane to their whim, or some curse that brought about strange effects on the unwary. Nothing so spectacular was hidden beneath their floorboards. This force of chaos took the humble form of a pink cheerful pony who often handled the sales and joined the Cake's family as their tenant.

Pinkie Pie held the very essence of random in her hooves, and was utterly oblivious to any such thing. Around this pony common sense twisted and turned into a convolution of strangeness that only the pink pony herself could interpret, which she did. Daily presenting the insanity to her friends, often served on a tray with streamers, confetti, and cupcakes. The greed of this embodiment of pandemonium was all-consuming. Never having enough lives to effect, it craved more and more friendship. It would seek out every pony the town could muster, every stranger that walked its streets, coveting each and every one of their affections before wrapping them up in invitations to its bizarre gatherings where each pony would take part in dementedness with joy and laughter. The very joy and laughter the pink pony would thrive on.

This was no easy power for the Cake family to manipulate, for as with any force of chaos it came bearing destruction. Supplies, kitchen utensils, integral structural supports, and difficult to make delectable goods of all shapes and sizes found themselves ruined, vanished, or outright destroyed in the proximity of the well intentioned Pinkie Pie. However it was her that the Sugarcube Corner customers would often drop in to see. It was also her parties that allowed the Cake family to visit every pony in town, in turn becoming friends with every friend Pinkie Pie would make. Mr. and Mrs. Cake could never decide whether the costs of keeping their tenant outweighed the sales she brought in. They did know for certain that there was no dollar value they could ever place on the joy she brought into their lives.

It was into this parlour Applebloom, Sweetie belle, and Scootaloo were cheerfully welcomed into, so it was not altogether unexpected to find the pink pony doing a swaying one hoofed balancing act on a step ladder while holding several balloons in one hoof and attaching streamers to the ceiling with her other.

"Hi Pinkie Pie!" The trio of friends said in unison, surprising the unbalanced pony.

"Eep!" The wobbly ladder slipped from beneath her, leaving her flailing wildly attempting to steady herself, resulting with the streamers flying across the room while Pinkie Pie found herself entangled in balloon strings. The three young ponies found themselves laughing underneath many vibrantly coloured lines of paper with the sales clerk being held up by the balloons, strings attached to every limb, making her look like a marionette hovering in the air.

"Hi girls!" Pinkie Pie giggled out while waving at the three, completely unperturbed by her current defiance of physics. The balloons bounced above her as she began making swimming movements through the air towards her place behind the counter.

"Whatcha celebratin' this time Pinkie Pie?" Applebloom smiled while trying to make her way out of the pile of streamers. "Ah can't think o' any pony with a birthday tomorrow."

"That's cause its not a birthday! I'm not sure what its for." She paused, tapping her chin in thought, "I've been getting twinges in my knees and a tingle in on my cutie mark, that means somepony close has something to celebrate coming up! I'm not sure who it is, but I've been getting it for weeks now. It must be a duesy! And then I thought 'Wow! I should get started preparing now to be ready when the moment it comes!'"

The three friends gave each other knowing looks. They weren't able to tell about Sweetie Belle's confirmation letter yet at her big sister's request, so few ponies in Ponyville knew. The strangely keen pinkie sense could well spoil any surprise Rarity was going for, leaving the Crusaders looking for something to change topics to. The problem was unthankfully resolved by the entrance of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon into the parlour.

"Oh look Silver Spoon, Scootaloo's here and it looks like she's celebrating how good she is at falling down." The light pink pony smiled at the mess of streamers Scootaloo was trying to untie herself from. Further scrutiny changed the smile into a frown. "yYou're even more beaten up than usual, I thought you were going to invite me every time you wanted to show off your flight show."

"That's like, so rude! Watching her crashes is like the best source of entertainment we have!" Silver Spoon added, her face almost instinctively copying the sarcastic expression that found its way to Diamond Tiara's.

"For your information I've been out training with Rainbow Dash all week!" Scootaloo stuck out her chest with no small amount of pride. She had been dying to see the look on her face after that little reveal!

"As if!" Diamond Tiara smirked, "What could she teach a flightless pegasus? How to run faster? I suppose she's pretty well known for that too."

"We're training for the Fledgling Fliers Competition!" Scootaloo managed out while grinding her teeth. That wasn't the expression she was going for.

"Did you hear that?" Diamond Tiara grinned to Silver Spoon, "It sounds like she's taking her comedy act for all of Cloudsdale to see. Rainbow Dash is probably getting as much a kick out of it as we do! Well I just won't allow it. You were my source of entertainment first. Don't you have any sense of loyalty to your audience?"

"It is NOT a comedy act! Just you watch, I'm not just going to qualify, I'm going to take first place!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Fine then, why don't you prove it?"

"Name the time and place!"

"Oh, but you already did." That smirking look took over her features once more, "No, what I mean is, if you really believe that, you'll be glad to make a wager with me."

"Another bet?" Scootaloo groaned out loud. She had been making bets with Diamond Tiara since she first began going all out trying to fly. She hoped the confidence and pressure of the debt would push her past her limitations, but it had been less than successful. She was in debt to her for a whole ton of bits but Daddy's little princess never bothered coming to collect. It had gotten to a point Scootaloo would bet huge amounts in exaggeration, and Diamond Tiara would readily accept whatever stupid thing she quoted. Most of which weren't even real numbers anymore. She was sure Diamond Tiara was just saving for some huge favour to throw back at her one day. It tended to be the pony's way with any bets she'd make.

"Yes, exactly. Or do you just want to admit you're a lost cause?"

"I am no lost cause! Fine! I'm game. If I take first place you have to wipe me and my pals a clean slate. That means no more debt, no more insults towards me and my friends, and no more talking behind our backs!"

"Very well, and if you don't take first place at the Fledgling Young Flier's Competition You have to work for me. I plan to take that little comedy routine you like to call flying on the road! You'll be the laughing stock of every town in Equestria before I'm done. Aaaannnd you get to keep it up until you've paid me back for 'all' of our previous arrangements."

"Woah! Hold on jus' a second now Scootaloo! Are you sure about this? What's all this 'bout previous arrangements?"

"Its just some stupid bets I made with her about flying before Applbloom."

"What bets?" Sweetie Belle paused in thought. She never recalled hearing about anything about this.

"While you two were off following your cutie marks, I may have been betting bits that I could learn to fly a couple times, that's all."

"If by couple she means every day for the past year and most of last." Diamond Tiara cut in with a grin. "She's worked herself into quite a debt. I feel kind of bad about it though."

"You have feelings?" Scootaloo snorted.

"Well of course I do! I felt like it was so unfair! There you were, providing me with soooo many hours of entertainment that I really should have been paying you for! That's how I know you'll make such a good road show. I know personally it never gets old watching you run yourself into a tree, or wall, or however else you'll end up a pile of pegasus on the ground. Its always a surprise ending!"

"Gah! You're gonna eat your own bet this time, once and for all! When I take home that trophy the only thing that will be left lying on the ground is your jaw!"

"Hah! Your endings aren't _that_ much of a surprise. Either way I wish you the best of luck in our little wager." She stuck out a hoof waiting to seal their deal. Scootaloo smirked, spit on her hoof and jammed it against the prissy pony's own before she had a chance to jerk it away.

"Ewww!" Diamond Tiara quickly let it go and began scraping her wet hoof against the floorboards, much to the giggling of the crusaders.

"Annnnnd done." Pinkie Pie announced while still floating above the sales counter. She had been scratching away with her quill the entire time the two young ponies had been going back and forth at each other, taking the dictation the moment the bet was announced. At the end she held a very official looking scroll which she immediately nailed onto the shop's wall for the entire world to see.

"Wait… what's that?" Scootaloo read the paper then looked mortified as she stared at the bottom corner there was a seal in wax with the signature of Ponyville's mayor. The fillies all quickly turned their heads to said mayor who sat waving to them from her table. Pinkie had somehow already gotten it signed!

"An absolutely brilliant idea from you both! I love it! One way it leaves the Best Fledgling Flier Champion in Ponyville to join our already number one Best Young Flier Champion! And if the bet falls the other way we have a travelling show spreading word of Ponyville all over Equestria! I am so thrilled by the dedication to Ponyville by our children. It is truly inspiring how much we ponies can give back to our communities."

Mayor Mare wiped away a genuine tear.

Scootaloo glared at the official paper as Applebloom gathered the treats for their impromptu picnic from Pinkie Pie. She felt Sweetie Belle put a hoof on her shoulder. "Is everything alright Scootaloo? You don't have to do this, you know..."

"Yeah, I do." She turned and left the shop to wait outside with Sweetie Belle not far behind.

"So these bets," her unicorn friend continued in a worried tone, "They've been going on for two years now? How come you never told us anything about them?"

"I didn't want to distract you guys from your work. You've both been super busy with your apprenticeships. It was just a way to kill time anyway."

"Sounds like it was a good deal more 'n that!" Applebloom answered with a small amount of heat to her words as she hefted a bag of goods out of the shop. "Sounds tah me like you were out gettin' yerself in a big heap o' trouble, and yah didn't even come tah us fer help.

"I didn't need anypony's help, besides its not like she ever held me to any of them."

"Well she'll have to hold it to you this time with it on public display like that." Sweetie Belle sighed, "Just how much did you lose in those bets?"

"Umm… lets just say a lot. Look, it doesn't matter anyway. With THE Rainbow Dash training me, I'll take first easy. You should see the landings I can pull off already!"

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gave each other knowing looks before turning back to Scootaloo.

"Alright, even if it don't matter none if yah win or lose, we're supposed tah be friends Scoot. You'd tell me off somethin' fierce if Ah ever hid somethin' like this from y'all."

"Applebloom's right. Do you really think we were so busy that we wouldn't have come to cheer you on, or help you out? You two are the most important things in the whole world to me! It kinda hurts that you never came to talk to me about it. I tell you guys everything, even when I'm not supposed to."

"Darn tootin'! Ah already know yah can do it on yer own. But yah can git 'er done a whole lot easier when yah have help, and yah shoulda asked us fer ours. Wasn't the whole point of being Crusaders to help each other out?"

"But you guys have been working towards everything you want to be and you're both doing it without any help from me!"

"What?! Are yah not thinkin' straight? Yah been scootin' around every construction site Ah've worked at! Yah run fer supplies, water, and pretty much anything we need, helpin' every worker there! Why yer the best help we have sometimes."

"And I wouldn't have anything to sing about if I didn't have you and Applebloom to talk to. I get all my song ideas from hanging out with you both."

"I guess I never thought about it like that…"

"Well yah better start! This ain't no small thing, its somethin' yah went and done fer years! It wasn't very crusadin' of yah."

"I know that now, and you're right. I'm sorry."

"Forgiven but don't you forget it! Next time you have troubles with somethin' Ah wanna be one o' the first tah know. We'll see it through together, like we always oughta whenever we can."

"That goes for all three of us, no matter where we end up, or what we do, right?" Sweetie Belle added before holding an outstretched hoof. Her friends grinned and joined her hoof with theirs before answering together.

"Right!"

* * *

_Dear Rarity,_

_So much happened this week, its hard just figuring out where to begin! Rainbow Dash stuck around after all, I'm not sure why but I'm really glad she did! She decided to give Scootaloo and me flight lessons during her three month suspension. The first week just ended and I'm sore just about everywhere but it really has been a blast! She just has us practicing landings using a zip line for now, and has us touching down at different angles. Apparently dragons have a difficult time landing at low angles that's because I don't have as many feet to land on. I find it's a lot easier if I can lean back and let my tail help level me out._

_Scootaloo looks like a real professional at landings already! She's practicing skids as she lands now while I'm still trying to make sure I stay upright. Rainbow Dash is really impressed with it actually. We think it has a lot to do with the practice she's had at landing her scooter. She's got a great sense of balance and can match any landing pose Rainbow Dash has been able to come up with. I'm going to have to work extra hard just to keep up! I don't mind though, I'm more worried about Twilight._

_Twilight has been super busy lately. I have to be really thankful for everything she's going through so I can attend these lessons but I'm getting a little worried about her. She's keeping up with her magic studies for Princess Celestia, and taken over all my duties at the library. That's not easy just on its own, but every day I come back she's showing a lot of magic fatigue! Twilight never used to suffer from that for very long. I don't know what she does all day while I'm not there, I think there's more to it all. I know she's been talking with Applejack a whole lot, and I see paperwork for Sweet Apple Acres floating around the place every now and then. I come back after training in the evening and I finish anything she was too tired to see to. I think she's trying to take on too much. Again. Yesterday I found her asleep on the stairs. I didn't even think it was possible to sleep on stairs._

_I've started taking Pee Wee with me to all my flight training sessions just to make sure he stays out of her fur for the day. Pee Wee's doing great too. He's really smart, and he loves chasing us as we slide down the rope. I think its going to be pretty cool when we can both fly. Fluttershy taught me all kinds about training him, and he responds to just about everything. Unfortunately he also likes to get into trouble and play tricks on ponies when I'm not watching him closely. Rainbow Dash likes watching him go, but there's no way I can leave him in Twilight's hooves like this._

_I haven't seen much of Pinkie Pie or Applejack lately. We do all our training at Old Lake for most of the daylight hours, so Sugarcube Corner is too far to go for lunch. I kind of miss seeing them around. Fluttershy brings out lunch for us because it is such a short flight from her place, and she likes to spend the time talking to the animals out that way. She also manages to keep Pee Wee back when we're doing the more dangerous landings, and she's full of advice on gliding. Its her favourite form of flying and Dash told us we should listen up when she has anything to say about it. Especially since she said we'll be learning how to glide next week._

_I hope everything is going well for you in Canterlot. Rainbow Dash said if I qualify for the Fledgling Flier's Competition this fall, I'll get a flight specialist licence and I'll be able to come visit you on trips all the time! Well, not all the time, I mean whenever it's appropriate for you of course. Its not going to be easy though. It means I have to be good enough to be a professional stunt pegasus, and I've only just begun to learn how to land! Scootaloo wants to win the entire competition, but you need a team to enter. The minimum is a Captain and two fledglings. We barely reach that, and Scootaloo hasn't flown yet either. It is her dream though, so she's chasing it with everything she has. She reminds me a lot of you actually. I don't want to disappoint her, so I'm giving it my all too._

_Scootaloo says your sister is going to be on tour with Sapphire Shores! I know you wanted it to be announced with more flair, so don't worry we're not telling anypony else. It was just really surprising! So Rainbow Dash says training us will help her get into the Wonderbolts, Scootaloo is going for the MVP award for the Fledgling Flier's Contest, Sweetie Belle is going to be leaving for a year to learn singing with a superstar, and you're opening new outlet stores in bigger cities. Twilight is still studying everyday to be some kind of master of the arcane arts under Celestia. Everypony seems to be chasing their dreams, and I don't even have one yet. I thought everything I'd ever want was right here in Ponyville, but sometimes it feels like Ponyville is growing up and leaving me behind. I have decided to look into finding something that suits me, some larger goal I can aspire to like everypony else. I don't know what it is yet, but when I do, I'll write you about it. Rainbow Dash said you'd like that. I think for now, what I want to do is just help everypony reach their goals, at least until I find my own._

_How is everything with your store? When I do learn how to fly, would you mind if I paid you a visit? Have you seen Princess Celestia while you're there? I'm sure she'd appreciate a visit. If you do see her please let her know I said hello._

_Wishing you the best,_

_Your friend forever,_

_Spike_

Rarity set her glasses and the letter down on the night table next to her bed, and stared at the scroll. It was the third time she'd read it, and she was tempted towards a fourth. On the matching night table that had its place on the other side of the bed, sat a small pile of letters signed and sealed by Twilight Sparkle. They contained list upon list of highly detailed equipment costs, maintenance costs, repair costs, along with a complete comparison to the original assessment Big Macintosh had put together. Many letters, lists, bills, and official documents had arrived through her curtains in a surprisingly large gout of green flame. She had been comparing the figures all evening, tiredly browsing through each. It was fairly interesting, and she'd already found a few contradictions, especially in the sales area. She had just finished deciding that there was no more she could do that night without leaving it full of revisions and necessary to redo tomorrow.

She enjoyed it, actually, in spite of the work involved. It felt like she was able to still hang on to something of the little town of her birth. Fancy Pants had looked after her very well here in Canterlot, and with his interest in her work came the interest of his friends. Though she appreciated the business immensely, it was all very exhausting dealing with life in Canterlot. She felt she fit in more here than she ever did back home but at the same time, it left her missing the simple life the small town offered. The quaint items on the lists Twilight made would spark memories of the farm and village. The sales prices reminded her of the farmer's market in the town square, and the familiar sights and sounds echoed in her mind as she lost herself in recollection.

She had just wiped away some water from the edge of her eyes when she spotted a scroll different from the others. A roll of paper with the seal of a certain young dragon. She left the work aside, took the scroll to her bed, and gazed at the flowing script. She'd never really seen Spike's writing before, they would dictate to him and he'd immediately set it ablaze and away it would go in a gust of flame. She was more than impressed. It was professional, flowing and very stylized, and looked very distinguished. Like…

"Like a Royal Letter." She said out loud to herself in surprise.

It was true, you could tell the differences between it and the invitations from the princesses, but you would have to be paying very close attention. He was truly quite the talented scribe! The whole letter was a crafted piece of art, but at the very top of it, her eyes kept being drawn back to her name. The thin to thick flowing lines wound their way around to form the loops of letters so artistically, expertly, and exquisitely.

It was far better quality than the rest of the letter, a masterpiece sitting there alone, noble and proud, separated from the masses, leaving the rest of the well crafted script looking poor and amateurish compared. She simply couldn't understand why. She scrutinized her own name, thinking of the differences. Why was the whole letter not of the same quality? If it had been, she may have framed it then and there with a permanent place on her wall. She pondered it for several moments before finally smiling softly as comprehension came.

He practiced writing it just to get her name perfect. She contemplated on how many crumpled pieces of paper lay at the dragon's feet, her name written hundreds of times on each_._

"What have I ever done to have you push yourself so much on my account? You always treat even the smallest things between us with such importance and care that they might as well hold bearing over all the heavens."

The answer hung in the air. It was something that never bothered with nuances like logic or reason. It was far more powerful, and far more than any amount of words could explain. It spoke only through actions and emotions. She gave a happy sigh, skimming the letter a fourth time. If Twilight Sparkle's lists had left her with a sense of homesickness then Spike's heartfelt letter had left her with some form of chronic illness born of nostalgia. Twilight brought her a sense of the town, while Spike brought her an update of all the ponies most important to her within.

All except three. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Sweetie Belle weren't mentioned except in passing. She almost cursed the fortunes for not bringing them into his path. If only everypony were fully intertwined she'd be able to hear about them all through the deft claw of her dearest dragon. She knew of course what it was that kept Twilight so busy. Evidence of her work with gem collecting and Sweet Apple Acres finances were sitting on her night table. She blamed herself. She had put these tasks on Twilight even though she knew she tended to go overboard with such things. Now she was responsible for working her friend into continuing exhaustion. There had to be some other way to help, but it was so hard with that stipulation of needing the farm's destined financial difficulties kept secret from the town.

Rarity rolled over on her bed, thinking of all that was going on back home, wishing she was back there personally to help them. The six friends working everything out together again, facing down any challenge the chaotic little village could toss their way. If only it were that way now.

"Seven friends." Rarity corrected herself, staring at Spike's letter. Always left to take care of things, they trusted him with the library, their homes, and everything else even when he was so small he couldn't reach their backs without a tremendous leap on his part. Still he had always managed, volunteering to stay behind on any trip he might have really wanted to go on if it meant allowing the six of them to go instead. He always gave so much of himself, but she rarely saw him in any of their past pictures she kept in photo albums here and there. Seemed he was always the one taking the picture, and never the one in them.

"Oh everypony, what am I supposed to do?" she said it aloud, laying with her back on the bed she pressed the back of a hoof to her forehead, closing her eyes. She was working towards everything she ever dreamed she wanted but had left so much behind. She had only been away a week this time. She'd been away many times before and for much longer at that. Somehow it was different now, knowing she would be living here soon. She hadn't even fully moved out of the Carousel Boutique yet and already she missed every pony so much. Is this how it would be like living here? Was it to be a blissful paradise by daylight amidst colleagues and peers, only to fall before a gripping pang for home when left alone as night fell? It was all so… well it was just so dramatic!

She secretly loved it.

"Dear Opalescence, what is wrong with me?" She rolled over to the side of the bed and began petting her grumpy feline companion. The feline in question opened a single lazy eye to acknowledge Rarity's existence, before settling back to ignore the hoof tracing through her fur. Rarity equally ignored the cat's lack of affection, and continued as if her companion had responded with deep interest.

"Its like something out of one of those silly novels. A relationship of which two will not speak out loud, secrets between friends, tragic bittersweet goodbyes, dreamers chasing impossible dreams, and growing up to find one's place in the world! What fate will befall us by the end I wonder? Something happy I hope. I've enjoyed a tragedy from time to time, but I don't think I could bare it if such an occurrence found its way into our lives!"

The cat ignored the unicorn's dramatic performance taking more interest in cleaning her paws.

"Well I guess I'll have to make certain there is no such ending to our tale, won't I? We'll have to do something about Twilight to start. I simply will not have her work herself into an early grave. If we cannot tell ponies about the farm, we can most certainly tell them about needing assistance at the library. But who to tell? I'd love it to be Pinkie Pie or Applejack, if only to give Spike reason to write about them, but of course neither will do. Applejack is just as overworked, and Pinkie Pie, darling that she is, would be more work than help I fear. It needs to be some pony organized, able to handle children, able to stand up for herself if need be, and since it's a library of course they'd have to be…?"

Rarity's eyes opened wide with delight, hopping up from her bed, a quill and paper floated into the air as the unicorn grinned.

"Ideeee~aaaa! Rarity, you are a genius! She'd have to be quiet! Well Fluttershy, of course, has been bringing out lunches to Rainbow Dash and the others, but that could easily be something Pinkie Pie could do! Why the dear pony would love it, since it would also give her a chance to cheer for the others as they trained. That would leave the library out of Twilight's hooves, and put her mind towards helping the farm where it belonged! Oh, but Twilight would still overwork herself with studying in the spare time wouldn't she? Of course she would Rarity, you silly thing, there must be something else you can do."

The quill continued to scribble behind her as she paced back and forth thinking. She headed towards the window, taking in the wonderful view of the palace. The stars were fully out as Luna put another brilliant piece of sparkling night on display for her subjects, one that left the palace towers dazzling in moonlight. The palace was always so beautiful. When she first arrived, she'd spent several nights just staring out at the mystical fortress as golden armoured guards passed through ivory white towers with perfect symmetry and perfect step, chariots flying this way and that, and tonight, out on the balcony stood the ever watchful eye of Princess Celestia herself. Whatever was she doing out there at this hour? And then Rarity watched a wisp of green glowing flame appear in front of the princess before the ruler of Equestria turned to go back inside.

"Twilight's studies arriving by Spike's flame." Rarity explained needlessly out loud to herself, before pausing after that thought. Her eyes closed and such a wide smile played upon her lips that it threatened to split her face in two. If you couldn't stop a pony from overworking herself, than what else could you do but talk to her boss? Spike's letter floated over and she quickly searched it from top to bottom. It was there, she knew it was there! Yes, there it was at the very end. Considering the relations between Spike and the Princess, not to mention the royal script, well this was a royal invitation for a word with Princess Celestia herself wasn't it?

"Spike you're simply marvelous " Rarity suddenly jumped and kicked in joy as everything seamlessly came together, "You darling dragon! You've given me everything I could possibly need and you don't even know it! Can you visit me upon learning to fly, indeed! If you didn't, why I'd hunt you down myself."


	5. Chapter 5: Feeling the Strain

Chapter 5

Feeling the Strain

"Whew, looks like we're takin' home quite the haul today!" Applejack grinned widely as she wiped the sweat from her brow. It was a bright and early morning, the sun hadn't gotten too high, but in the craggy rock lands where Rarity usually picked her favoured gems amidst the many, it had already gotten fiercely hot. Things had been working out so far for their efforts, selling the gems to Rarity's contacts in the quarries and gem cutters were beginning to make a tidy profit, but nowhere what Applejack thought it would.

Low quality.

She began to despise that word when she first began this treasure hunting because it was the first word out of every buyer's mouth. She thought she'd be rich enough to buy a new farm with the cart loads they'd been bringing back, but apparently Rarity's years of picking through the land had already grabbed almost all of the high quality ones. The diamond dogs in the area prevented deeper digging besides. The ponies may have put them in their place that once, but neither Twilight nor Applejack had any intention of stirring up that trouble again.

"Yer actually gettin' pretty darn good at this Twilight, you'll be better than Rarity soon." Applejack commented to the tired looking unicorn as she pointed out another bunch with her horn.

"Oh, I don't think so. I still can't figure out the difference between low and high quality like she can after all. It's only working out because we're doing things in bulk. I really wish I could help more on the physical side of things. I was bushed before we even had the cart half full!"

"Now don't you worry none about that, Sugarcube. Yer doin' plenty enough as it is. You just sit back an' take a break for as long as yah need tah, and let me do the heavy liftin'. That's what Ah'm here for after all."

"Maybe, but I still feel bad about only pointing the gems out and then letting you do all the work. Digging is a lot tougher than I thought, Spike always makes it look so easy."

"Well yer sure right about that. Diggin' through this here rock ain't nuthin like diggin' at the farm. Ah think Big Macintosh's plow woulda broke the first day out tryin' tah get even a foot down. A couple dragon claws would be right useful out here just tah break the surface a bit."

"I know, but I promised him the time to work with Rainbow Dash, and I think they're really counting on him with this whole Fledgling Fliers thing. I didn't think it would be a full time job when he signed up, but you know Dash when it comes to flying."

"She does have a tendency tah go overboard Ah admit, but ain't none better to learn about flyin' from. If she says full time work is what it's gonna take, she'd be the one tah know. I just kinda miss the li'l fella. I ain't seen him round town or the farm for weeks now."

"I hardly see him myself, Applejack. After finding gems, going over the details of the farm, making the checklists, running the library, and my magic studies I'm usually so tired that I'm asleep by the time he gets back from his flight lessons, and we barely see each other when we get up. We have just enough time to say 'Good morning' before we're both out the door."

"Sounds like yer really overworking yerself just tah help me out Twilight, I wish I knew how Ah could pay yah back. It seems like Ah'm holding yah back from everything most important tah yah." A frown creased her features as Applejack realized just how much out of her way Twilight had to go for all this extra work on top of her number one assistant off messing around with Rainbow Dash.

"Please don't think about it like that! The truth is that Sweet Apple Acres going into debt would be devastating for all of Ponyville. The way I see it, by helping the out Apple Family with its finances I'm helping the whole town! The reason I study so much is because I want to help out other ponies like this when they need me. This is probably the most important work I'm going to do all day! Really this is my disaster prevention allotted time slot. I've always kept my schedules open for just this kind of occasion. The thing is, when I'm normally out helping out the town I have Spike to keep things in order back home. Now... well now I don't."

"Yah really miss him don'tcha?"

"Of course I do, but it's more than that. I'm kind of surprised how much I've really come to depend upon him. He keeps the library tidy and organized when I'm deep into my studies, he knows the hidden areas and shelves of the library better than I do, and he normally finds the books I need before I can. Without him the checklists take twice as long to make, letters to Princess Celestia have to wait to be delivered until he comes back at night, and that's not even counting him taking over the cooking and librarian duties."

"Or when he's out helping us fend off whatever trouble comes lumberin' Ponyville's way." Applejack added in agreement. "We always said yah were lucky tah have an assistant like Spike. Not sayn' nuthin bad about yer owl friend, mind ya."

"Yeah, Owlicious tries really hard to help out, but I normally have to supervise him. It doesn't help that he sleeps mostly during the day, and without Spike to help out I'm too tired to stay up to supervise him. Spike really is irreplaceable not just as a friend, but as an assistant too. I told him something like that once but I'm not sure even I understood just how much."

"Ah'm sure he misses working with yah too Twilight. Ah know Ah sure miss gittin' up with the family and helping 'em all out with the mornin' chores. Comin' out here is more important, no doubt about that, but mah family ain't none too pleased about me bein' gone right after breakfast. They count on me to get a whole bunch done round the farm too, just like Spike. Ah guess Ah'm right lucky that cousin Braeburn is in town gittin' Apple Bloom's advice on putting up barns. He's been picking up where Ah've had tah let go. Seems like its only cause o' friends and family like ya'll that we're gonna be able to figure this whole situation out. Ah don't like admittin' we needed help, but Ah 'm sure glad we had ponies like you we can depend on when we're in a tough spot."

Twilight closed her eyes and gave her friend a genuine smile in thanks. There really was nothing better than the feeling after helping out a friend. Spirit renewed the purple unicorn pointed to another patch of ground ahead of them. "There's another patch of gems! I think this one will be enough to fill the cart the rest of the way."

"Right then, lets get to it! Ah wanna get you back to that library quick as Ah can so you can get back tah the rest o' yer day."

"Then I better help dig with this one." Twilight Sparkle grinned as she determinedly reared up and stomped hard on the patch of ground. The sight of her dirty hooves gave her pause and set her giggling.

"What?" Applejack smiled looking for what set her friend, her giggles contagious effect already beginning to pass on to her.

Twilight raised a dirt covered hoof, chipped and worn from the constant pounding they received during these morning excursions.

"I was just picturing Rarity trying to get gems before Spike was around to volunteer."

Applejack paused, staring at her own hooves as well for a moment before she began to laugh too. The two friends ended up erupting in laughter over the simple mental image of the indignant expression Rarity would be wearing at the attempt. It was just so unexpected and abrupt that they had to stop digging and let the giggle fit pass. It was just a simple joke between best friends. It probably didn't warrant as much amusement as the two ponies seemed to take in it, but friendship has a way of making the simplest things mean so much more. The joke left the two attempting to 'daintily' dig at the dirt patch for another half hour in spite of themselves.

Twilight was in a good mood when she arrived back at the library, wiping her hooves on the doormat. She was still laughing quietly to herself as she entered into her empty abode.

"I'm home!" She called out habitually; her usual greeting to her faithful assistant who she knew wouldn't be back yet.

"Welcome home!"

A very startled Twilight Sparkle jumped a good couple feet in the air at the unexpected reply! The voice was so quiet she almost thought some pony spirit of a previous librarian had decided to begin haunting the tree!

"Oh dear... I'm so sorry Twilight, I didn't mean to startle you." The familiar shy pony hesitantly stepped out into the open past the kitchen door.

"Fluttershy?" Twilight sighed in relief as her friend came into view. "What are you doing here?"

"Well... you see... this morning I found this on my doorstep. I think Spike must have dropped it off on his way out to Old Lake." Fluttershy picked up an envelope in her mouth before trotting over to pass it to Twilight.

"A letter? Who is it from?" An aura of magic took it, and flipped it over for Twilight's inspection. The unmistakable flowing script of Rarity's signature was written in the middle. Rather than answering outright, Fluttershy instead gestured to the letter. Twilight frowned before she magically emptied its contents to read for herself and hovered the letter over. She quickly skimmed it in a few seconds her eyes widening as she read. She had to repeat it out loud just to confirm it to herself.

"Dear Fluttershy

It may seem a little strange to receive a letter from me after only being away for a bit more than a week, but I have the most urgent request that simply cannot wait until I'm back again. News has reached me of a certain secret project in which our dear Twilight Sparkle has become irrevocably involved. Furthermore Spike has sent me a letter expressing worry over the furthering state of exhaustion he has found her in night after night, often falling asleep before she can find her way to her own bed. I fear her studies and librarian duties combined with her secret project has left the poor dear utterly exhausted.

I understand you've been out cheering on Spike and Scootaloo at the lake, however I was hoping you could exchange this current arrangement with Pinkie Pie and instead assist Twilight with the library. I remember her saying you did such a good job before with the help of your little friends when we were competing for the Gala tickets. Could you perhaps be persuaded to do so again until Spike has completed his flight training? Or until this vague project is finished? I would ever so appreciate it, and I'm sure Twilight would gladly accept your help given her current circumstances.

Your Loving Friend,

Rarity"

Twilight looked up from the letter frowning. She didn't know Spike had sent Rarity any letters. She wasn't at all sure about how she felt about Rarity asking for help on her behalf either. She was about to crossly tell Fluttershy that all this was completely unnecessary, when she caught the pegasus' sad expression.

"Please let me help you when I can Twilight." She pleaded, "I couldn't stand to think that you could be getting sick or hurt. I can look after the cleaning and cooking. And I'll be very quiet, I won't interrupt your studies at all! Oh! And I promise to be extra naive too! It will be _really_ easy to keep any secrets from me, so you can work on your morning project thingy and I won't ever know what it is."

"Oh Fluttershy..." Twilight hugged the caring pony tightly, "Of course you can help me, but only when you can spare the time. I don't want this to affect your business at the cottage or Sweetie Belle's lessons, alright?"

"It's a promise. We already cleaned the library while you were out this morning... I hope you don't mind."

"No not at all. Everything looks great!"

"Oh good. I wanted to wait until you got home to ask, but Angel Bunny was being very insistent." The rabbit in question had helped itself to a carrot out of Twilight's fridge. It handed the shy pegasus a note as it walked past her to sit in the largest chair of the room, grabbing the newspaper off the end table beside it to read as it finished its treat.

Twilight shook her head at the strange bunny before looking at the note Fluttershy was skimming through.

"What is it?"

"Um... well... it's a grocery list...? I think my friends may have taken a lunch break..."

Twilight winced. The stock of food in her home had always been carefully budgeted down to the very last detail. It was a habit her and Spike arranged since they were living together in Canterlot, a necessity for his regular diet of gems. Even with Rarity close by they had always stuck to their routine, and now with Rarity gone most days she was glad they had. An empty would throw everything off, and she was already mentally adjusting her checklist. Checklists that were already taking a large toll on her time schedule in their making.

Still... Fluttershy might make an excellent resource for her time management! Rarity was right. She did need help. The princess didn't send Spike along as her assistant without reason Certainly it irked her a little to know she couldn't do everything on her own, even after she told herself she could and would, but the proof was right there in front of her. There was no denying that she was getting tired out faster and faster each day. It was a little confusing at times, she could remember being on the way upstairs to retrieve books that she never remembered reading. She assumed that somewhere along the way she'd absent mindedly found her way to bed instead. What was really happening it seemed was Spike would find her asleep somewhere in the library and would tuck her in.

She sighed out loud, half in exasperation, half in wistful thought. She should have known Spike would be worried for her. He always was. It warmed her heart a little to be reminded that even if she couldn't see him, or talk to him throughout most of the day, he was still there watching out for her like her silent, steadfast guardian in the night. It had gone unnoticed in her weariness that her study books were put away, and the place was a little bit tidier every morning then she left things the night before. He was probably up hours after her attending to his own duties. Never good at waking up right away, she assumed his fatigue in the morning was just his usual nature. It occurred to her now that it might be as burnt out as she was. She silently thanked him and reprimanded herself. She was interfering in his lessons in spite of trying to prevent exactly that. Well it wouldn't continue any further! She'd just have to accept Fluttershy's offer.

"Actually Fluttershy, now that I think about it, you'll be perfect for my temporary assistant! Thank you for offering."

"I'll do my best!" Fluttershy cheered in a near whisper. "How can I help?"

"Well, the first thing I need to do today is make up a checklist of all the things I need to do." Twilight smiled thoughtfully to herself.

"Oh, okay. Well what should we do first?"

"Well, groceries for one." She giggled a bit at the bunny in her chair leaving Fluttershy blushing sheepishly for him, as she moved over to one of the scrolls in a bin labeled 'checklists' and began to write.

"Nuuumber ooone: groceries!" She looked back to Twilight waiting for the next item. It was an expression that reminded her very much of what Spike would do each time when he was just beginning. The memory tugged on her heartstrings enough that she made a spur of the moment decision, that she hoped Applejack and Rarity would forgive her for later.

"Number two, tell Fluttershy everything about secret morning project."

"Everrryyythiiiing abooouuut... seeecret mornin-wait what?"

"I was going to eventually ask your help for it anyway, I guess this just moved it up on my planned schedule.."

"Are you sure Twilight? I mean... if its really something super secret... maybe, I think... I might prefer not knowing."

"No way Fluttershy. If you're going to be my assistant, even a temporary one, I'll need you fully informed or else you won't be able to help."

"Well... if I have to... I guess it's okay. W-what is it ?"

"Well it was supposed to be number two on the list, but you're right it should take priority over groceries. We'll need to talk to all of the animals and insects around Sweet Apple Acres. We have to somehow convince them to forage for food somewhere else for the next couple of years."

"Umm... I see. I'm not sure how well that will work out Twilight... Applejack grows such lovely vegetables, sometimes they can't help but dig in, and I simply could never talk to every insect on the farm all by myself."

"We have to try." Twilight responded quickly while looking out her window towards the local farm, "Sweet Apple Acres may go out of business if we don't give it our all."

"Oh no! But then they'll never be able to eat at Applejack's again!" As Fluttershy gasped, Angel Bunny moved the newspaper aside and watched the two, their conversation suddenly very pertinent to his interests.

"Neither will we. Ponyville makes almost everything it has through the export of agriculture. Our town won't be here for very long if we have to import food like we import almost everything else!"

"Well... maybe... if it's only for a couple harvest seasons I could convince them." The usually angry bunny nodded quickly in agreement. "But all of the little crawlies... I simply don't know them well enough."

"Alright..." Twilight grimaced. "I guess that will have to do, but if that's the case we're going to have to cut a lot of corners elsewhere. I was really counting on the crops not being eaten, but insects make up for a larger share of ruined crops than animals."

"Well, I don't know them well enough... I'm not even certain I'd know where to look, but I may know a pony who does!"

"Fledglings, assemble!" The dust didn't even clear from Rainbow Dash's landing before the call went out, nor had it finished wafting away before the two members of the flightless flight team had lined up saluting her.

"Present!" Scootaloo called out with ever growing confidence.

"Yeah, here!" Spike followed up while fighting off a yawn. Rainbow Dash eyed her tired pupil with annoyance.

"Seriously Spike? Again? I can't afford to send you home, we don't have time for this every stinking day!"

"Hey, you know I'm good for it! I can't just leave Twilight hanging. Yesterday she fell asleep on a ladder! A ladder! I've fallen asleep in some pretty weird places, but a ladder? Come on, what was I supposed to do?"

"Well there's something to be said for team loyalty, I just wish you had half as much for the actual team." Dash shook her head, there really was no helping it. Twilight was going to overwork herself as long as her assistant remained here, and her number one assistant wasn't going to just lay down and let it happen. He wasn't kidding about being good for it at least, this dragon was tough! She'd seen him take tired spills several times that would leave a pegasus broken and hospitalized for months. The young dragon would barely notice the hard landing, stand up, dust himself off, and was headed for another try with hardly sparing a moment's thought. He also succeeded at some of the most amazing landings she'd seen in her life!

It was all due to his physiology of course. Landing upright had a lot of advantages when it came to the higher angles it turned out, even when caught in tailspins. She decided Spike would be a holy terror when he finally showed up completely awake. Her mind turned back to the first time she took them into a tailspin. The terrified look of the two teammates as she grabbed the top end of the zip line during the middle of their descent and began spinning! She knew they could handle it, but the surprise was good for them, it kept them on their game. Every now and then through the rest of the week, she surprised them again and again with sudden the sudden spiraling plummet towards the ground. At first they would scream in terror, and only a few days later the dragon and pegasus were screaming in surprised delight. The same couldn't be said for Fluttershy, who would always scream in terror the sidelines.

Thank goodness for the switch up. The exchange from Fluttershy to Pinkie Pie was a stroke of genius on Rarity's part as far as Dash was concerned. Pinkie was easily the best cheerleader in the world, as long as whatever she was cheering for could keep her attention. Usually the fledglings managed to do that just fine.

For Scootaloo's part she might as well already be a stunt pony. It was almost too impressive how she seemed to adapt to every twist and turn so quickly. Rainbow asked her to bring along her scooter so she could watch the stunts Scootaloo was capable of on the board. Her interest was piqued to see how flight and scooter stunts might work with each other. Ground sports were never really her thing but after watching Scootaloo's natural balance control she was beginning to change her mind. There might be something to this. She was disappointed when she found out her scooter had been trashed.

It would not do. She not only wanted that thing back in Scootaloo's possession, she wanted Spike on one. If he could learn the maneuvers Scoot could pull off, they'd be a real contender for that grand prize. If Scoot actually managed to get her hooves around that trophy, it would be one awesome looking feather in both their caps! Scoot gets the MVP, and Rainbow Dash takes her first team to the cup! The Racing Committee would have no choice but to acknowledge her then!

"Alright team," She fixed them both with a measuring look, "you've landed low, you've landed high, you've landed wet, and you've landed tired! You've landed slow, and you've landed fast! You've landed backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down! Why you've even landed in a straight downward spiral. There is no crash landing you have not been prepped for, no weather condition you cannot save yourself from, no piece of air or terrain you cannot walk away from!"

Spike was grinning. This was it, so what if a week ago he never cared about flight? This was happening now, and a thrill ran up and down his spine. But his was mild compared to Scootaloo. As Rainbow Dash paced back and forth while calling out each of their achievements, Scootaloo was bouncing on her hooves, looking for all the world like she was literally vibrating with the excitement as Rainbow Dash built up towards what they all knew was coming. The whole time Spike could hear Scoot beside him whisper to herself as quietly as she could.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Beatings, bruises, cuts, scrapes, exhaustion, and terror, I have attempted to break you with every tool at my disposal!" Dash continued revving them up, "Each and every one of those tools lay broken to pieces at your hooves. You've conquered them all! Pain will not distract you! Exhaustion will not dissuade you! Fear will not control you! You have earned your wings and it's high time we put them to use! Now…"

Rainbow Dash turned to face the fledgling fliers and leaned in, as if telling a secret that only they three would know. Her voice got low and quiet, yet remained full of passion, "Who wants to taste that sky?"

"YES!" Scootaloo jumped up with a gigantic unassailable cheer, leaving Spike and Rainbow Dash laughing, as the young pegasus landed on her back, eyes rolled back to her skull and swiftly fainting from pure fervour. Spike waved a hand in front of her.

"Out cold." He announced.

"Guess I overdid it?"

"Ya think?"

"You want us to run off a cliff?!" Spike exclaimed an hour later thoroughly unimpressed by the idea.

"Just a tiny one." Their Captain smiled, enjoying the worried expression that crossed the young dragon's face.

"I thought we were practicing gliding today, not more crash landing!"

"Oh stop being such a scaredy cat Spike, there's a lake at the bottom and everything." Rainbow Dash gestured to the picturesque landscape below. It was still Old Lake but now they stood at the highest point where the small waterfall gushed off the higher plateau before splashing into the lake below, something Spike was pretty sure he'd be imitating soon.

"You can do it!" Cheered Pinkie Pie who was down in the lake swimming, snorkel and goggles obscured her face as she waved cheerfully up at the trio on top of the cliff. Scootaloo and Spike waved nervously back.

"You two Fledglings just need to spread your wings as wide as you can, and follow my directions as I call them out. Do that and we should be able to slip right past this side of the training within the week!"

"About this gliding thing Rain- er… Captain, I'm not sure dragons can, our wings are more like a bats and from what I read i-"

"Enough Fledgling! We're doing this by trial and error! You already know how to turn any fall into a decent landing, so stop with the stalling! Now we'll take turns just like before. Once you get the hang of hanping in the air and following the rope, we'll advance to putting everyone on the same rope in a small game of follow the leader. Remember to keep your flapping to a minimum. I only want to see a wing beat when absolutely necessary. Try to keep them at the same timing as mine until you understand how to hold your own weight better. Scootaloo, you're up first."

"Yes Captain!" Scootaloo nabbed the nearby rope by the end and waited excitedly. This was it, finally some real flight training that actually involved staying in the air!

"Okay, hang on tight, run with it while giving all you got, and make as big a leap you can off the cliff. There are lots of air currents coming off that lake so we'll try to keep right above it. All set?"

"Yep!" her voice came out muffled behind the rope.

"Alright Fledglings, game on!" With that Rainbow dashed off the cliff, the lengthy piece of rope dangling from the harness on her back suddenly grew taut, tugging the filly along. As soon as she felt the rope go tight Scootaloo sprinted towards the end of the cliff before rocketing of its edge in a gigantic leap of faith. She felt the rope give way between her teeth as a sudden heave caught her off guard. She snapped her jaw closed, gripping the flying lifeline so hard her jaw strained with the effort. Ttumbling quickly towards the ground, her eyes went wide as she swung downwards. Her training kicked in, and her wings quickly opened to slow down the descent, trying to turn the swing into a controlled fall. That was when she felt her wings suddenly hoist her upwards high into the air above the lake. The strain on her wings was extraordinary, like nothing she ever felt while on the zip line, outside of the tail spins that is.

She fought to keep her eyes open and watch ahead of her as Rainbow Dash towed the line. How did she do this all so casually?! It looked so easy, but the strain Scootaloo felt on her wings, just holding them out like that was immense! This was Fluttershy's favoured form of flying?! Then that rush of air came flooding through her ears, as if she was going hundreds of miles an hour instead of only gliding along. The world seemed to spin around her, gravity seemed to shift, and she no longer knew which way was up and which was down! Trying to keep up with her spinning sense of vision, her wings reflexively began to attempt to straighten out, but only flapped up and down in an awkwardly uneven and jarring fashion. She found herself quickly degrading into a flailing mess before she splashed down, breaking the surface of the lake with an unceremonious flop. Scootaloo swam herself to the surface easily and came up face to face with an unimpressed flight teacher who hovered above the water.

"You got it backwards."

"Ummm… What?"

"Most foals panic on the first try during the downward swing and hit the water because they can't get a hold of the air properly. You panicked after you caught the wind. You want to explain that to me?"

"I'm not sure, it hurt my wings when I got pushed back into the air, but then everything just messed up!"

"What does 'everything' mean exactly?"

"Well… it means everything, I got right dizzy, and I couldn't tell which way was up and down, and then there was that blaring wind in my ears that felt like it went right through my head. I wasn't scared or anything, but it felt like it was pounding inside my skull!

"Really? A deafening wind, that's what you said right?" Rainbow took on a thoughtful expression.

Scootaloo nodded while she began to swim towards the shore, her captain hovering above.

"Well Squirt, its sounds like you just had your first case of vertigo. Its not uncommon, but its dangerous for flying, completely throws off your wing rhythm and sense of balance."

"Wing rhythm? What's that?"

"It's the balance you have to find between yourself and those wings of yours. You're not gonna be able to keep yourself in the sky without it, and no pony can tell you what yours will be like. We can offer hints, like a heavier pegasus will most likely have to throw a flap in more often, and a lighter pegasus tends to be able to glide a lot longer. But there's an exception to every rule, and you need to find what's right for you. That's what this training is all about. You have to slow yourself down, and learn how to ride the wind instead of struggling with it. It's not your enemy, and it'll stop hurting you the moment you stop fighting. Got it?"

Scootaloo nodded as she took her Captain's outstretched hoof to be hauled out of the water and flown to shore. She may have nodded but understanding was still far out of reach. Wing rhythm, she was sure it was just a matter of wing coordination, right? She always had a difficult time getting the timing of her wings. That rush of wind always seemed to throw her completely off when she was trying on her own, and the next thing she knew she'd be eating gravel off the sidewalk with the laughter of Diamond Tiara ringing in her ears. She began to trudge her way back up the cliff. Why could no pegasus just tell her how to flap? That'd be so much easier! Every time some pony would say the words you have to 'figure it out yourself', it seemed like a certain sign of failure coming on. Honestly it sounded too close to what ponies told them when getting their cutie marks, and look how that turned out!

She looked up to watch as Spike leapt from the cliff, spreading his wings as wide as he could, only to immediately plummet into the lake, he didn't manage to stay in the air even as long as she could. The difference being his weight pulled his captain down with him!

The two came back up for air, coughing and sputtering out water. Rainbow Dash made for the shoreline before shaking off, but Spike was having a harder time of it.

"Spike, I knew you couldn't fly, but you said you could swim!"

"I can swim, I just can't swim fast! Give me a break, there's a lot more of me than there is of you and I have to drag it all back to shore!" He complained loudly as he continued to push himself through the water.

Rainbow Dash sighed. This was going to be a very long day.

It was a small humble doorstep Twilight next found herself standing on hesitantly. There was a small garden to either side, and the home she found herself in front of was little more than a hovel. Very simple, very plain, in need of repair in a few areas where maintenance efforts were obviously still in progress, mostly unfinished patch jobs, and the tools used to perform them were still scattered about lazily. The lawn was fresh and green but very tall and overgrown, almost as if it was never cut or paid any attention to. The stone pathway to the front doorstep was the only way you could get to the door without trying to plow your way through it. Everything about the house and the yard left Twilight even more uncertain than she was when Fluttershy first mentioned his name.

"I can't believe you convinced me this is a good idea." She whispered harshly to her friend who was trailing behind her.

"Oh it is Twilight, I mean... if you want to convince the insects, he's the one you want to talk to."

"But i-it's Snails!"

"Nopony knows more about garden variety insects then he does." Fluttershy nodded encouragingly as she spoke around the checklist scroll in her mouth, its paper dragging along several feet behind her. "You will be very surprised!"

"Well if you're vouching for him I'll trust you, but I don't have to like it. After that whole mess with Trixie, and dragging that Ursa Minor into Ponyville..."

"Five years is a long time Twilight. Look at Snips, Rarity even has him to run her boutique when she's gone."

"Admittedly Snips hasn't burnt the place down or anything yet, I suppose that's a vote in his favour. But He's been working as her apprentice for years! Snails isn't anyone's apprentice, he's not even interested in anything."

"I think he'll be interested in this."

"I hope you're right about this." She sighed and knocked on the door, feeling like she was signing her name on a disaster waiting to happen.

There was no answer.

Twilight knocked again.

Again there was no answer.

"Snails? Are you here? Its Twilight Sparkle, I need to talk to you!" She knocked a third time, pounding on the door.

"Oh yah. I'm here." A disembodied voice answered in a slow but cheery tone that hadn't come from inside.

Twilight turned around to survey the yard, peering hard into the jungle of a lawn where the voice seemed to drift from. She jumped back abruptly as the answering pony's head suddenly jutted out from between several of the thick blades of grass as he poked through a newly made gap in the overgrowth.

"Dah, Hi!"

"Snails? Why didn't you answer when I knocked?"

"Uuuh..." He paused staring upwards as he thought very hard about the question before coming to an answer, "Cause I wasn't home, eh?"

"But you were right here! You knew we were looking for you, why did you just stay quiet after I knocked?"

"But uh, I couldn't figure out how to answer da door while I's outside."  
Fluttershy laughed quietly as Twilight slapped her hoof against her forehead. This had to be a mistake. It was better to just hurry up and get the whole thing finished.

"Nevermind Snails. Listen, could you talk to every bug out in Sweet Apple Acres? Would you be able to convince them to leave her crops alone for a few years?"

"Dah yeah! I could do dat." The young brownish orange unicorn nodded his head back and forth agreeing to Twilight's request easily without any semblance of thought. His ocean green hair rocked back and forth with his happy nod, partially covering a pair of half lidded, dull-looking, beady eyes that made her question if he even heard her right. She gave him a pained smile she hoped wouldn't offend as she glanced back to Fluttershy looking for further confirmation. As if she hadn't made certain of this idea no less than 10 times already, Fluttershy responded with the same wide, distracted smile and nod as every time before. She was showing more concern in attempting to sort out the ridiculously lengthy checklist that she managed to tangle herself up with somehow since the last time Twilight looked. Twilight sighed and turned back to the young unicorn.

"You're sure? Fluttershy said there were probably millions of bugs all over the farm."

"Well yah. I jus' said I could." Snails gave her a questioning look. She clenched her eyes shut trying not to think about how _he_ just now questioned _her_ intelligence. It couldn't hurt to let him try could it? "Have you ever talked to that many bugs before?"

"Uuh..."

She swore she could hear the gears grinding together as he sought to remember if he ever had.

"Nope. Never needed to." He finally managed an answer.

"Then how do you know you can?"

"Uuh..." Snails started again.

"Nevermind Snails. " Twilight interrupted him, a hint of exasperation showing, "When can you be ready?"

"Dah, ready for what?"

"The bugs! Talking to the BUGS!" She could feel pieces of her mind imploding somewhere in the back of her head.

"You want me to talk to the bugs?"

"Yes! Everything we just discussed!"

"Oh okay, I thought you just wanted to know if I could, eh?"

"Alright, will you do it for us?" Twilight strained to keep her smile and prevent another face hoof that beckoned to her.

"Yah, I'll do dat in a couple weeks."

"What? Why not this week?"

"Cause dat's when dey'll be ready?"

"Ugh! Fine, two weeks will be fine." She found herself at her wit's end, "You'll have to let me know when you go to do it."

"Dah, okay. Den you'll see, it'll be AWESOME!"

One week and a few thousand splashes later found Rainbow Dash at the end of her rope as two very waterlogged fledgling fliers stood before her at an end to another hard day's training.

"I think we're about done here for a bit guys." A soaking wet Rainbow Dash began as she confronted her students. "Obviously our current lesson plan isn't cutting it. I need to look into where we can take it from here. The rope work fly-by is pretty basic stuff, and until we can get us all on one tow line we might as well call off any chance we had at entering the Fledgling Flier Contest. Frankly, I've given you both every tip I can think of for the standard master flier, and its going nowhere. Considering that, I need options."

"I'm giving you guys next week off actual flight practice, and instead we can just train our flight muscles with some core exercises until we can get you into the air. That sort of training will only last half a morning though, the rest of the day you'll have free. I want you to use that time to search for anything to help you guys out, and if you find something, bring it to me. I'll see if I can work something out."

"You want us to find our own way to fly? I've been trying to do that since I was a tiny filly! I don't even know where to start!"

"It's not the same as before Squirt. You know the fundamentals now; you know how to land without killing yourself, so practice isn't going to hurt anymore. You also already flew for the most part every time you slid down that zip line. If you can just get that same feeling back as you did on the line you'll be free for the sky. Scootaloo, you especially need to find a work around. Hang back for a few minutes after your dismissed, we got something we need to talk about."

"Uh, okay I guess."

"Wait a minute, you're just sending me home?" Spike muttered leaning his head over trying to drain the water from his ear. "I've got nothing to go off of here."

"Sure you do! Look at these things." Rainbow Dash unfolded one of his wings and began running her hoof along its outstretched ridges, folding it easily on top of itself. The hoof along his wings felt strange, and he wasn't too sure he liked it, though he refrained from pulling away.

"You actually have a fair knack for flying Spike. I know it looks like you're doing worse than Scootaloo, but it's actually the opposite. You have a good measure of how to catch the wind. If you were a pegasus, you would probably already be flying. What you don't have is any way to deal with that tail of yours. It's supposed to be helping push you along, but instead it's just dragging you down. Check out these wings Spike, you got a whole whack of joints in them! When you do get up there you're gonna have more control over the wind then I ever will. You'll never have my speed, but flight is going to be a lot easier for you."

"So it's just a matter of my tail?"

"Well your whole body weight in general, but mostly your tail. Like 75% tail issues. Keep it in mind as you look around for ideas. Just manage to keep that body of yours straight, and find something to do with your tail, and I bet you'll be golden and flying in no time."

"Okay, I guess I'll see what I can find in the library books."

"Alright fledglings. Class dismissed, and good luck out there, I'll be looking forward to seeing what you find."

Rainbow Dash watched the water logged dragon begin to trudge his way home. She felt upset by the whole situation. This was not how she planned to teach them. They were supposed to persevere pass the obstacles of landing, and then take off into the sky while she gave lessons on how to follow the wind currents, and maybe even begin towards full fledged flight towards the end of the week. None of the fillies in her old class had any trouble like this. Her respect for her old grumpy coach had begun to grow after the last week of watching her team fail again and again and again. He brought _all _of her classmates up to the level of training that some arrogant filly could come along and push them all even further easily. Admittedly these were two very unique students compared to any of her old class, but that wouldn't be any kind of excuse a Wonderbolt would use.

"Umm… Captain?"

Scootaloo's voice interrupted her thoughts away from the departing dragon, and redirected them towards the young pegasus at her side.

"Yeah, Squirt. I need to talk to you about your umm… difficulties."

"Don't kick me out! Please Captain, I'll do better, I promise!"

"Kick you out? I only have two students, and I'm here to help both of them along. I don't plan on giving up on either of you. You got that?"

"Phew!" Scootaloo let our a relieved sigh, "I thought I was in trouble."

"What in the world for?"

"Well… this is kinda like staying after school right?"

"School? Hey, I'm your Captain or Coach, don't talk like you're supposed to bring me an apple in the morning or something." Dash shuddered at the thought that she was coming off to the filly as boring as an old school teacher. She felt her coolness factor plummet rapidly. "No way. I just wanted to talk to you about what it is that's giving you all this grief when flying. The loud wind thing."

"Okay…. Well what do you want to know about it?"

"I already know plenty about it Squirt." Dash chuckled a little affectionately, "I get it all the time."

"Really, you get it too? I thought I had some kind of defect."

"Well, it might hamper you, but believe me you're going to be the envy of other pegasi some day. You'll mostly get it right when you're about to take off, or when you get any sudden urge to fly. When I perform a Sonic Rainboom I don't have any chance of hearing anypony else, and when it comes on strong its all I can do to not take wing right then and there. All the best fliers have to go through it. It's called the Sky's Call."

"Wow! I have something like that?"

"You sure do, but getting past it isn't easy. You have to find a way to focus past that wind raoring in your ears. Don't and it'll overtake you every time. You're going to need a whole whack of concentration to pull it off, but once you do, once you can find the center of that windstorm, you'll hear it."

"Hear what? What will I hear? What does it sound like?"

Rainbow Dash frowned thoughtfully as she stared up at the clouds, taking a moment to think of how to describe it.

"I-Its like a tug at your heart, or a pull at your soul. One shiver through your fur then your ears lean back, and when you close your eyes, you can feel the wind all around you, carrying you. Your wings begin to move on their own, and you just feel like you can do anything! That there's no force that can hold you down and no storm that can push you back from touching that sky… its just…amazing. And when it goes away it's everything you can do to not try to pull it back and keep it inside without ever letting it go. If you can capture it, it feels like… well… it feels like its welcoming you home after years of being away."

"That sounds incredible!" Scootaloo's eyes widened and sparkled as she tried to imagine the feeling.

"Totally."

"But how do you block out the storming wind part?"

"Like I said, it isn't easy. You have to find a way to fly with it and through it. All of the best fliers have their own signature styles because they each have their own way to find their center of the storm. Some used ancient meditation techniques until the raging storm could no longer distract them, others found a way to flow with it somehow, and then there are ponies like yours truly. I fight with it, wrestle it down, and push myself right past it with pure brute force! I've tried to teach you how I do it, but it hasn't been working. Maybe the noise is stronger for you, or maybe punching through it just isn't going to be your way of dealing with it. Either way, you got to find your way past it and it is not something I can just show you how to do."

"Wait, so you're saying I have to figure it out on my own, just like my wing rhythm?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Try looking into things that will help you concentrate with loud noises going on around you. After you can manage that, we'll give flight another try. Until then, you and Spike need to get yourselves in as good as conditioning as possible. That way when you do get past these obstacles, you'll be able to take off a lot easier."

"Isn't this going to put us behind? What about the competition?! I have to win Captain! I just gotta!"

"Settle down fledgling, we're not gonna be behind, not yet anyway. I was planning to build on your flight muscles with actual flight experience. We're just changing the schedule so we work on them before we grab air. Just give this all you got and we'll be in the preliminaries easy."

"Oh… Alright."

"Well if you get it, get moving! I want to see you both in the sky pronto!"

"Yes Captain!" A quick salute and Scootaloo was on the path following Spike, leaving Rainbow Dash standing on the edge of the cliff her poor students had dubbed 'the high dive' over the week of constant failure.

None of her classmates had this much trouble flying, not even Fluttershy! And these two weren't even trying to fly yet, she was just trying to get them to glide! How could she be a better coach when she was a little filly than she was now? The training was exactly the same, so what was the problem? At least Spike was a dragon, she didn't completely understand why he couldn't hold himself in the air yet, but it's a whole new area of flying no pony had ever even attempted to learn. But what about Scootaloo?

Hearing the Sky call was rare alright, but she should have been the perfect teacher for dealing with that sort of thing. She had to go through it herself after all.

"Gah! This is impossible! A whole week! We've spent an entire weeks just trying to stay more than a minute in the air! And Scootaloo still can't keep a wing beat to save her life!" She cried out to the vibrant pink bystander who continued to smile cheerfully beside her.

"I'm sure she'll get it eventually, after all she's got the Best Young Flier Champion as her Captain!"

"The Best Young Flier isn't the same as being the best young coach Pinkie Pie. I'm supposed to have all the answers for them, and now I got nothing for either? What am I gonna do?"

"Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! I have an idea, you can bake a cake!"

"Would you stop thinking with your stomach for two seconds? I'm being serious here. A cake is not going to help teach them to fly!"

"Of course not, but it will be extra super duper delicious after they learn how for themselves!"

"No Pinkie, you don't understand. I should be helping them somehow."

"You can help them? Then just do that! Phew, when you told Scootaloo she'd have to figure it out on her own, I thought you meant she'd have to figure it out on her own. But your coaching is on such an amazingly super top notch level that I must not have even been close! What you actually meant is that she has to figure it out on her own with your help!"

"No I meant it, I can't help her. I should be able to though, I had some trouble with my sky call too when I was a filly. I should be the best at showing her how to focus past it, but I can't!"

"Great!"

"What do you mean great?! How can me being a crummy coach be great?"

"That's not great silly, that's not even true. The great part is where you were right!"

"Where I was right?"

"You said you couldn't help them, and you couldn't. That makes you right!"

"So which part of that is not the crummy coach part?" Dash deadpanned at her overly cheerful friend.

"Well duh. It's the part where you believe that they can learn it for themselves, and we all get to party when they do!"

"You really think this is a good idea? Just leaving it to them like this?"

"Of course! Think of how proud they'll be when they figure it out. They'll be all like 'Yay! We're so awesome and super great fliers now, and we can do anything! The coolest team Captain ever knew we'd be able to, and even helped bake a cake for us!'

"It might be a stale cake by the time they get into the sky."

"That's no way to think about it silly. I'm sure they'll be super quick at it!" She suddenly gasped loudly, and grabbed Rainbow Dash by the shoulders, "They might even be done already! We'll have to be super duper fast if we want to make a super duper spectacular cake in time! Let's go!"

A moment later found Rainbow Dash quickly being pulled towards the pink pony's abode via sugar rush express. She felt a small smile grow in spite of herself. Maybe Pinkie was right? She tried and taught them everything she could think of, so maybe right now it was her job as team Captain just to believe in her team.

Two weeks passed without any sign of progress, though not for lack of trying. All of the Cutie Mark Crusaders attention had been focused towards this one thing, and while the deadline to the preliminaries was just over a month away, it was a different deadline on their minds. This was the last week they had left together. Five years didn't seem like much to most ponies but it might as well have been their whole lives for Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, and it was all coming to its end. Rarity would soon be on her way back home to make the news about her grand opening and Sweetie Belle`s apprenticeship public. They had booked time off from their lessons and held what would be their final slumber party for years to come so they could get up early and spend their last days together on their last crusade. Tales like this were supposed to end in one final victory, that last leap to success to prove that the magic of friendship could overcome any obstacle that came its way.

Unfortunately it didn't seem to work out that way. In spite of all their efforts more bruises added to the hundreds they'd incurred over the years, and Scootaloo was still left grounded. She was so excited to tell them about the Sky Call, and how the best fliers in Equestria had it too, but no matter how they tried, Scootaloo was unable to block out the thundering winds rumbling around in her head every time she lifted off the ground by her own power. Their small cart left outside Sugarcube Corner told the story of their failures. Within it a pair of earmuffs lay discarded, a broken stereo sat in pieces beside the albums of the loudest rock songs that ever graced pony ears, and even a hundred or so popped balloons dotted the bed of the cart. Now the sun was setting, and the crusaders watched their discouraged friend drown herself in the sweet nectar of the establishments' sugary drink.

"... and I don't know which was worst, the howling wind or constantly crashing into the lake!" Scootaloo punctuated the end of her tale with a large swig of soda, before slamming the empty bottle down on the counter.

"Well... at least you're a lot cleaner now?"

Scootaloo glared at Sweetie Belle's attempt at comfort while Apple Bloom hid a laugh on her other side.

"Get me another Mr. Cake!"

"Uh, maybe you had enough?" The yellow earth pony had been trying to break the steady flow of sodas away from the young pegasus to no avail.

"I told you to keep them coming!"

"Yah sure about that Scoot? Ah don't think Rainbow Dash is gonna appreciate yah takin' all her effort trainin' yah up only to lose it all to a bottle."

"Training? Training?! You call this training? I'm supposed to figure it out on my own! How is that training?! That's like the opposite of training!"

"Actually the opposite of training would be-" Sweetie belle paused mid-sentence at the withering glare she received from her friend.

"What am I gonna do guys? It's been weeks since we stopped zip lining and neither of us can hang in the air for more than half a minute! I'll be a laughing stock, and thanks to that bet I made, I'll be a laughing stock all over Equestria!" She threw her forelegs up in dramatic despair before collapsing them on the counter, and hiding her head against them.

"Can't say Ah rightly know. Just hearin' yah talk 'bout all this flying stuff is givin' me a headache. Ah'm pretty sure all that weight yer gonna put on if this keeps up isn't gonna help any though." Apple Bloom gestured to the corner of the room where a large pile of empty soda bottles towered to twice the height of a full grown pony. "I ain't even sure where yah put it all as it is."

Scootaloo shrugged and added her latest casualty to the top of the pile with a practiced toss.

"Aw who cares? I might as well face it, I'm doomed. Sky Call my horse feathers! Greatest fliers of Equestria? Yeah right! I'll never touch the sky with that howling going on in my head. I wonder if Diamond Tiara is gonna make me wear clown clothes or if I'll be funny looking enough as I am..."

"Is there anythin' we ain't tried yet?"

"Earmuffs, rock ballads going on full tilt in the background, ear plugs, ear plugs AND earmuffs." Scootaloo listed off each without looking up from her arms. "We even strapped the stereo to my head once. Nothing works because the howling comes from _inside_ my head, how can you block that out?"

"Well, what does it sound like?" Sweetie Belle asked as a thought played out on her mind.

"I already said! It sounds like a howling wind."

"Yeah but what does the howling wind sound like?"

"You've never heard a howling wind?"

"Of course I have, but I've never really listened to one."

"What's the difference?"

"I won't know until you tell me, will I?"

"Well, I guess it sounds like this, uuh. Woosh woosh woowoowoosh, woooooooosh woosh wooowooowooooooosh!" Scootaloo blew as hard as she could doing her best to mimic the blasting wind and the pitch each blast took while they whistled through her head. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and began listening closely. Every time Scootaloo stopped Sweetie would quickly gesture for her to keep going, but Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were starting to feel embarressed as they started attracting the attention of the other patrons of of the pastry shop. Sweetie Belle seemed almost lost in the wooshing sounds though; she began swaying and even humming, utterly oblivious to the stares and giggling of the others around them.

"So that's what it sounds like, can we go now?" Scootaloo covered her face in her hands in order to hide her blush. "I know I'll be doing comedy routines for the rest of my life but I don't need to start right now!"

"That was... that was beautiful! Is that really what it sounds like? You are so lucky!"

"I think you're confused."

"Tomorrow! You have to come with me tomorrow, alright? Meet me at Fluttershy's. This is going to be fantastic! I gotta go prepare, just make sure to show up tomorrow! This crusade is not over yet!" Sweetie Belle excitedly bounced out the door without so much as a good bye, still humming as she left.

"Uh, alright. Not like I have any training or anything... what was that all about?"

"Yah got me." Apple Bloom shrugged, "But if Ah were you, Ah'd be there. That pony's got somethin' in mind, and if Ah weren't helpin' cousin Braeburn with designin' up that new barn o' his Ah'd be there too. We gotta bunch o' supplies in towards the construction efforts today, an' they're startin' tah miss me back at the farm."

"You're designing barns again? I thought you'd be bored of that after helping with the town hall."

"No way! There's always something new tah put in, or some new obstacle tah work around. Really works the ol' noggin gettin' around 'em all. For instance, Appleoosa is havin' a hard time with the buffalo herds stampedin' right through the orchards. The barns keep keelin' over with all that ruckus about. Ah ain't sure if it's the land they're built on or the barns themselves that ain't holdin' their own, but Ah'll figure it out."

"That's great Apple Bloom. It's gotta be awesome to have a cutie mark you can be totally proud of."

"Thanks Scoot. Ah reckon yers is gonna be one ya'll be right proud o' too."

"Oh come on, mine is gonna be about a scooter. Everypony knows it and it's just a matter of time. I'll admit doing a few cool stunts with a board beneath my hooves feels great, but it isn't exactly the most useful talent of all time. Yours is going to be all about helping ponies out, and Sweetie Belle's will be all about pulling the heartstrings of everypony around. Compared to that, a sweet move or two on a board is pretty lame."

"Aww Scootaloo, have yah been draggin' these thoughts with yah all this time?"

In reply Scootaloo silently took a long swig of soda.

"Well no wonder yah ain't got yer cutie mark yet, yer scared tah get it ain't yah? Tah be tied down to a talent yah ain't even sure yah want."

"I guess..." she admitted to herself with a sour note left in her mouth.

"Ah wish yah had o' mentioned it before Scoot, that's a right easy conundrum tah figure around."

"Easy? There's nothing easy about not liking your cutie mark!"

"Darn tootin' there ain't, so it's a good thing you like yers, yah just don't think it'll be useful. That's a lot easier tah figure out. All yah gotta do is turn it into whatcha want it tah do. Ah like tah help ponies, but Ah could be jus focusin' on makin' our own farm better. Ah don't cause Ah wanna help out more'n that. Sweetie Belle could stick tah not singing in public like she'd rather, and she has tah struggle with that side of her talent. Heck, look at her sister! Her cutie mark helps her find pretty rocks, but she didn't become a miner or anythin' obvious like that, she decided to sew 'em to dresses! For you, we just need tah figure how to use scootin' around in a way that's more suitin' to what yah want outta it."

"I'm not even sure what I want anymore."

"Who you kiddin'? Ah can tell yah what yah want right now easy as pie."

"Oh yeah? Just what is it I want then 'Mrs. I-know-everything'?"

"Yah wanna fly. Why any pony with eyes can see that."

"And just what can a scooter have to do with flight?"

"Ah may jus' have an idea on that actually. How much do yah weigh?"

"I'll lay off the pop, I got it, alright? Sheesh."

"No Ah mean it, how much do yah weigh?"

"What for?" she arched her eyebrow suspiciously.

"Wouldja jus' humour a pony?"

"Around two bushels."

"Two apple bushels, got it, thanks. Seeya later!" Apple Bloom smiled a mysterious smile before running out of the shop. Scootaloo knew what her friend looked like when inspiration struck, but what could possibly found its way into her mind Scootaloo couldn't even picture. She'd find out soon enough, she was sure. For now she was more concerned with whatever it was Sweetie Belle had planned for her tomorrow.

"My two best friends are crazy." Her contract with Diamond Tiara still hanging on the wall of the pastry shop caught her attention, leaving her shaking her head as she paid her tab and made to leave the shop. "But then again, so are theirs..."

Every time she entered the palace it always left her in such a state of awe. The tall white walls trimmed with gold, the elegant patterns on tapestries hanging down in long gleaming sheets of carefully woven fabric. The source of their glimmer took their shape from the historical designs on stained glass windows which rained a delightful array of colours dancing along the interior. Rarity was always left at a loss of words as new fashion designs flittered through her mind with each step she took. She felt rather small between the two large and handsome guards who escorted her down the hallway. They were very polite and well mannered, but their stoic silent devotion to their duty left them seeming very distant to her, and not at all comforting. This wasn't exactly the greeting one would hope to receive when you're already as nervous as she was. She had always wanted a royal entrance, but now that she was in the middle of one everything about it seemed not so much glamorous as it was so very cold...

The guards had let her pass without any objection whatsoever, but it still seemed like a bit of a stretch for her to actually consider Spike's letter a true invitation. She passed it over to the guards and they never bothered to open it, instead sending it inside. It wasn't long after she'd been summoned. Now she felt very alone walking these great halls, as her escorts hoof steps echoed in the large empty corridor. Only once had she visited the palace without her friends at her side, or at least close by. It felt wrong somehow to be treading this sacred place without them. The large doors to the throne room opened and a horn sounded from the side somewhere as a crier announced her entrance.

"Presenting Miss Rarity! Element of Generosity, twice saviour of Equestria and loyal friend to Princess Celestia!"

Rarity looked up at the Princess who stood before the throne, her multi-coloured mane flowed in the non-existent wind as it always did, her stature tall and graceful, slender and beautiful, eyes full of mirth but with a strength shining behind them. Rarity bowed, lowering her eyes respectfully.

"Thank you." The Princess nodded to the guards, who all seemed to take this as a sign to leave. Princess Celestia then turned to the still bowed form of the unicorn in front of her and smiled widely, "Please, stand. It won't do to have such formalities between friends. It is good to see you again Rarity. Are you enjoying your stay here in Canterlot? I had not heard you were coming or else I would have had a room prepared for you."

"Oh! Well that would be simply marvelous Princess, but I simply must refuse." Rarity stood up, a little more comfortable now without the guards around, but still she felt humbled in the presence of divine royalty. Probably for the best she decided, humble was great for keeping one to their manners, and the request she had come bearing would have a very real chance of offense. "You see, I will be joining the Canterlot society on a more permanent basis soon, and I'm in the middle of setting up a little shop here in town. I really could not accept accommodations in the middle of my transition, no matter how beautiful it was during my last stay."

Rarity's eyes drifted wistfully towards the tower where she had once been a royal guest. She was working night and day to unpack her boxes and put together the clothes racks, making every little detail perfect in her shop and residence that she almost wished she could accept the vacation living here in the castle towers would be. Servants at beck and call, and the reputation just staying at the palace would garner was a very enticing offer. Still there was so much more to do, and far be it for her to rest while so close to her dream's completion. Such wants could wait for another time. Well that was what she hoped for as she turned back to the princess. "I must thank you for seeing me Princess; I know Spike's letter isn't exactly worth the same as a royal invitation."

"You're right, it's not." The princess said seriously making Rarity stiffen up slightly before hiding a laugh as Celestia leaned down to whisper conspiringly, "It's worth far more. I'm glad to hear your business is doing so well. I always found your designs quite inspired."

"Thank you princess, I do try my best."

"And such a wonderful job you do. Cadence can barely be talked down from wearing her wedding dress again and again. She tells me she can't wait to see your next line."

"It was such an honour to work on it Princess, I felt bad taking bits for it. Most mares can be very …" Rarity held the last note for a moment as she thought of the right way to phrase the next word, "micromanaging about their custom made dresses. Princess Cadence was more than amiable to try every design I came up with. It was a pleasure and one I'd gladly have again if she ever wishes to come by for more casual wear."

"She'll be thrilled, though judging by Spike's letter I do not believe dress design is what you came by to discuss."

"Oh yes, of course. Look at me, mention one word about fashion and I lose all train of thought. Well as you have read, I believe you may have noticed things somewhat amiss between its lines."

"Yes my most faithful student seems to be quite exhausted, though I did not believe the loss of her assistant while continuing her studies for such a short while would have her quite at the state he describes."

"Yes, about that..." Rarity let out a nervous laugh, "It may be somewhat my doing, Your Majesty. I've made a promise to one of our other friends that I wouldn't tell anypony about her troubles, but Twilight is currently assisting her with them on my behest. She really is the most perfect pony to help, so perfect I don't believe any other pony would work, but I'm afraid it's my fault that she has stretched herself so thin."

"I see." The princess nodded with a slight smile of comprehension dawning. "That does explain things a little more. And you believe there is a way I could be of assistance?"

"Why yes Princess, in fact I believe you're the only one who can! Twilight Sparkle is such a wonderful mare, as you know, and she's very organized, but she simply cannot stop until she's finished everything on those checklists of hers. In her current state of affairs there's simply no capability to accomplish everything she's trying to. I was wondering if it was at all possible to maybe strike off the one object on all of her lists that takes the largest allotment of her time. Even if for a short while?"

Rarity winced at the quiet squeak her voice had turned to by the end of her question. 'Come now Rarity, when did you become such a scaredy cat?' She cleared her throat as the thought passed through her head before turning to the princess to await reply, trying for all the world to look more confident about the idea then her tone would have lead a pony believe.

Celestia simply smiled in return once more.

"She always has had the problem of over tasking herself, hasn't she? Yes, I believe her magical studies are due for a vacation anyway."

"Oh thank you so much Princess! I'm sure you're the only one she would listen to on such matters."

"Often not even me. If I expressly forbid it however, even she will put down her study guides for a time I think. There was something more about the letter that piqued my curiosity though."

"Oh? Well I can't imagine what about it would..."

"All of it, actually. From every dotted 'i' to every crossed 't'. You must understand my little pony; Spike had been taking my dictation for a decade before he left with Twilight." Celestia closed her eyes picturing the young purple dragon first scrawling playfully with her quills on parchment she had put out for him. She pulled out Spike's letter to Rarity and smiled softly as she took a moment to appraise its craftsmanship. "I know his writing backwards and forwards, and while I know this is indeed his, it's only because of my familiarity with his style. Otherwise I wouldn't have believed it. Could you follow me?"

"I-I certainly could..." Rarity wasn't expecting this turn of conversation at all, "May I ask where to?"

"Spike's old room. There's something there I think you'll find quite interesting. Maybe something he will as well."

"He could not have been anymore than twelve, when he left?" She had to wonder what in Equestria a child's room could hold that would hold her interest.

"Fourteen in pony years, actually." Celestia corrected, Rarity thought she heard a bit of a sigh, a small hidden thing. "They certainly grow fast."

"Yes, I hear that about foals. I don't think I really believed it until I watched Sweetie Belle in the past few years. She has really grown into her own, especially now during her apprenticeship years."

"I was referring to dragons."

"Oh yes. Sometimes I forget he is one, to tell you the truth."

"Good." Celestia nodded to herself, and Rarity suddenly wondered if any other response might have turned this conversation sideways. She was detecting something odd about the tone the Princess was taking, something odd and more than a little unnerving.

"I practically raised him you know? And not once has he ever written to me in such a masterful way."

"Oh he's just a darling, isn't he? You did such a marvelous job with him. A true gentle colt, through and through." If only she had babysat for Prince Blueblood more often. Rarity silenced that thought, her smile never dipping.

"Gentle drake." Celestia corrected again, her own smile matching Rarity's.

"Ahem, yes. I can't help but feel you wish to impress that point upon me." Rarity frowned slightly.

"I might be. Please understand when I say Spike is very dear to me." Celestia's tone seemed to emphasize the last six words of that sentence. "Although he seems to have sent his deepest affections towards you. Tell me, will you be able to go cheer him on, if he makes it to the qualifications as he plans?"

"Oh, I wouldn't miss it! They would never forgive me if I did. Rainbow Dash is far more sensitive about her confidence then she lets on. I'm certain Spike and Scootaloo will be a bundle of nerves themselves. I only wish I could do more for them!"

"Yes, such competitions take a lot of support from our dearest friends, but I was asking about you supporting Spike in specific."

"I erm... yes, you were, weren't you?" Rarity tripped over her words slightly. Steering the conversation towards the others had abruptly met with a brick wall, and she was beginning to believe she knew why. It seemed like she found herself talking more to a protective mother than the Princess of Equestria and Goddess of the sun. Considering the invitation she came here with, it probably wasn't out of line either. She also began to suspect the Princess was not fully interested in Rarity's presence at the competition. She took a breath to steady herself as she attempted to choose her next words very carefully.

"Spike is one of my most treasured friends, and I have come to see what it is Twilight Sparkle adores so much about him. Time and again over the years he's been there to laugh with us, help us, and comfort us. Why, add with it that he's both courageous and absolutely adorable, and I'm sure that every pony who has ever been close to him is proud to hold that honour. I really don't know what future he looks for himself, but I'm glad he's finally started looking. I would be glad to support him in whatever endeavor he chooses to work towards at least as much as he has supported my own. It was always a joy to have him fuss over me as he has, but right now what's best for Spike I think, is for him to figure out what he wants to do with himself and see where things go from there."

"It seems my dear Spike has very good taste in friends. Your words show much wisdom behind them." Princess Celestia nodded approvingly.

"I've had a lot to think about when I decided to move to Canterlot." Rarity explained, "All of my friends, each and every one, they're all very precious to me. I thought of what I could do for them while still pursuing my own dreams. It isn't easy to help them from afar, but I have no regrets. I can't be beside them forever, but that doesn't mean I have to refrain from giving them as much assistance as I can whenever I am able. They each have their own dreams, except little Spike. Fourteen... I'd always wondered why you sent him out so young. I didn't know he was already in his apprentice years at the time. He never seemed much like any of the foals when they began theirs."

"Dragon, not pony." Celestia repeated with a sing song tone to her voice. "They don't have cutie marks to let them know where their natural talents lie. He has to find them on his own, and will never really be certain if they truly are what he thinks they are. There will never be any confirmation for him outside of the encouragement of his family and friends."

"I suppose that's true isn't it? Perhaps I hadn't thought about everything as much as I should have."

"Do not think badly of it Rarity, sometimes it takes somepony else to see things from a different perspective for the truth to present itself. It says much that you have trouble seeing him as what he is over who he is. This is normally something very admirable, but I fear it is something I think that you more than any other pony must overcome."

"I'm sorry Princess, is not the _Who_ more important than the _What_?"

"It is, but it doesn't mean we can simply disregard the What. Who he is will tell you much of _how_ he will deal with his problems. Remembering What he is will tell you of the many problems he will have to face. Problems that may be very different from what any pony will ever know. Problems that he will have to be very creative to overcome, and some of them he will not be able to overcome on his own."

Rarity walked on in silent thought as they continued towards the royal chambers. The beauty of the palace that had her so transfixed before barely registered to her now. She kept walking after the princess, rolling the new information over in her mind.

"Princess, I'm not certain I understand. Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you have a very important decision to make Rarity. One that will affect your life considerably and his just as much or even more. I do not believe I need to tell the pony with her name as the heading of this letter what that decision might be." Said letter floated in front of Rarity, leaving her to admire the script one more time. She reached out with her own magic instinctively taking it and holding it carefully out ahead of her.

"I-I see. You've given me much to think about."

"I am certain whatever choice you make will be for the best. Perhaps you can in turn lend me some of your own perspective to a problem I've been having. You see, while not so finely crafted as yours, my young scribe has sent me some hastily scribbled letters of his latest challenges in Rainbow Dash's lessons. Ones I don't believe he wishes to tell you about."

"Problems he wouldn't tell me? Hmph. Some decisions might be a bit easier to make than a pony would first think." Rarity pouted.

"Don't think too harshly of him." Celestia smiled warmly, "He wants you to see his best side, where he shows all of his strengths. I envy your letter a little as it gives me a chance to see what he is capable of. Mine shows how much he trusts me with all his fears and vulnerabilities."

"As impressive as mine may be, I think I prefer the content of yours." Rarity frowned, still somewhat displeased at the missing details from her own letter.

"Trust is something earned very carefully. Perhaps if you helped him with the solutions to his problems he would be more agreeable to sharing them with you."

"I was willing to face down three dragons with nothing but my hooves for him! I'm not quite certain how much more I could do to earn his trust!" She answered somewhat cross now.

"And he undoubtedly is forever grateful. But to ask someone to share their vulnerabilities is something very personal, and I doubt you have shared any such things about yourself with him in turn."

Rarity's quiet frown was the only reply the Princess needed before continuing.

"As it happens, the problem I could use your perspective on has to do with putting into place a solution to one of his. He's having trouble keeping his tail up while flying. I think learning to swim better will help him practice moving it as he needs. He was never very good at swimming however, and I simply don't know any way of teaching him."

"I could!" Rarity's eyes went wide after only a few moments pondering as realization hit her with a sudden strike of inspiration.

"You can?"

"Well no, not me directly, but I know just the one that could! He somewhat owes me a favour. I'm not sure if he'll assist me, but I don't see why he wouldn't."

"Then I came to the right pony for help. When is your next visit home?"

"Tomorrow I'll be taking a week's vacation to say my farewells."

"A bittersweet moment for everypony involved I'm sure."

"One that can be broken up with some time at a beach, I think. I'd rather not spend the whole time in tears. It always leaves my eyes in such a state afterwards."

"I'll trust it to you then." Celestia smiled as she opened a door. Within it was a colourful room, something put together for a young colt. A crib was in the corner and a small bed on the other side, with a picture of a knight from a fairy tale of old sewn into the comforter on the bed. It looked very realistic, right down to every last detail. Probably historically accurate as well, Twilight Sparkle had a hoof in this Rarity would wager. On the far wall sat a worn classroom desk, scratches and colours covered the desktop. Carvings were torn deep in the wood in many places, mostly the name Spike over and over again. These are things you could find in any foal's room. What was so startling were the hundreds of pictures done up in crayon lining the walls almost as if they were wallpaper. It was almost dizzying taking them all in. They were each very different but one thing they each had in common became very evident when put side by side like this.

"What in Equestria is all this...?"

"I answered a question for you, and you answered one for me. I think its time we answered one for Spike. He's always had a dream to chase. I fear though he may have forgotten it under Twilight Sparkle's tutelage. His dream seems far fetched, perhaps too much so for somepony as pragmatic as Twilight. It may only seem like a childhood fantasy, but this is what he always wished for himself."

"It's amazing... my stars; no it's more than that. It's perfect, it's him completely. Oh and it's her as well." Rarity picked one of the pictures off the wall, wiping away a tear. "Even if she does refuse to see it that way."

"It's all of you." Rarity felt the Princess lay a hoof on her shoulder. "Each and every one of you and your friends. Could you take them back with you? Please, help him remember everything he once wanted to be."

"Of course! Oh absolutely, I'd be delighted to." She looked up at the princess with a grateful smile, holding the picture close to her chest.


End file.
